30/10/2025
“Trade me a memory,” the butterfly said
“A memory that’s heavy and harsh,
And I’ll sit and I’ll listen and try my sweet best
To lighten the load on your heart”
So he told her of struggles, of heartache and pain
And he cried as he spoke them aloud
For it wasn’t one memory but lots of the same
That were, all of them, weighing him down
He spoke of a place filled with darkness and fear,
A tunnel devoid of all hope
And the spots on her wings deftly captured his tears
Then softly and gently she spoke
“Thanks for the memories,” the butterfly said
Then she gave him a butterfly kiss
And she took a deep breath as she wistfully sighed
And then traded her memory for his
“I’ve always been me but not always like this
There was once when I thought I had died
I was shrouded in darkness ‘til I grew my wings
See,
I needed that darkness to fly”
********
Becky Hemsley 2021
Gorgeous artwork by Anne-Fieke Later
'The Butterfly' is from my first collection “Trade me a memory,” the butterfly said
“A memory that’s heavy and harsh,
And I’ll sit and I’ll listen and try my sweet best
To lighten the load on your heart”
So he told her of struggles, of heartache and pain
And he cried as he spoke them aloud
For it wasn’t one memory but lots of the same
That were, all of them, weighing him down
He spoke of a place filled with darkness and fear,
A tunnel devoid of all hope
And the spots on her wings deftly captured his tears
Then softly and gently she spoke
“Thanks for the memories,” the butterfly said
Then she gave him a butterfly kiss
And she took a deep breath as she wistfully sighed
And then traded her memory for his
“I’ve always been me but not always like this
There was once when I thought I had died
I was shrouded in darkness ‘til I grew my wings
See,
I needed that darkness to fly”
********
Becky Hemsley 2021
Gorgeous artwork by Amanda Cass
'The Butterfly' is from my first collection https://a.co/d/cixPqfW
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