one butterfly wing
washed in with the tide
an intricate pattern of perfection
and delicate beauty
at my feet in the sand

between my fingertips
I study your colors
printed on the thinnest of membranes
pigment designed
to fly
I cradle you gently in my hands
to keep you safe
from the wind

how did this one exquisite wing
end up in the ocean
riding the ebb and flow
of the waves to my toes?

a mysterious secret
that only you will know
I carry you across the beach
dig a small hole
and bury you gently
in the soft sand

a short life
but your beauty lived on
in a vivid message
gratitude will flourish
in abundance
if you notice what washes in
at your feet