Flutterflies

Keith W. Sikora

"This is inspired by an illustration by Cathy Buburuz."

(Unrestricted Club Use)

Pastel ballet,
Dawnface flutterflies on the breeze.
Faerie magic at play
Across Solere's turquoise sheen.
Gossamer wings
Glissading through space
Ritual of spring,
To dance for the mate.

En masse from far away,
Hesperneas risshays
Converge on the Galazeen plain
And its rainbow blossom stage.
In limelight of day
Lady risshays,
Like nymphs, sashay
Above the blooms of eider lace.

As Dawnface males watch on the side,
Seated upon the flower's leaves.
The females gambol by
With pas de bouree' of wingbeats,
Then chandelle back the other way
Like pixies in a Dixie chain
To pirhouette before the males,
Alluring in their siren grace.

Finishing their amorous pass,
Shimmer of vermillion and blue
Of female wings sunshine enhanced,
Gives the field a spirited hue.
While the ballerinas alight
To rest upon the plants,
The Dawnface males take flight
To perform their part of the dance.

They soubresaut into the air,
Pumping their wings to gain some height,
To showcase their aerial flair.
Danseur colors gleam in the light,
In a dazzling display
Of rolls and loops across the sky.
The Dawnface males peacock parade
With wings gold and emerald bright.

Then like a sparkling jeweled cloud,
The males group into formation
And glide down to the female crowd
In a slow corkscrew rotation.
There upon the meadow bouquet
Of eider lace and daffarillis
Males land beside their desired mate
And pairs bond with antennae kiss.

The ritual comes to a close
As pairs of risshays leave.
Flitting away for points unknown
Like petals carried on a zephyr stream.