The Butterfly, Part I

One warm Summer’s day As I sat in my folding chair Something caught my eyey Something there Something flying through the air It was a butterfly It did flitter and flutter by When it decided to land It landed on my left hand I sat motionless And my emotion was bliss I said, “Hello, my little friend” “How are you doing today?” It caught me by surprise when he replied, “Fine thank you. How are things with you?” That set my head a reeling You can imagine what I was feeling My eyes went wide I was surprised Confused I managed a reply “Why, I’m doing well myself.” “How is it you can talk?” He said, “I’m not actually talking” “You’re just hearing my thoughts” It’s psychic telepathy, my friend “What I think travels to you in the end” Am I mad or am I a loon Inside some crazy cartoon?! I’m talking to a butterfly It must be a full moon He said, “No my friend you see You’re as sane as me All animals can talk It’s just as plain as reality” I came out here to forget And smoke a cigarette And drink my wine And get as drunk as I could get The butterfly sat motionless thinking While I sat actively smoking and drinking The butterfly said, “That’s not the answer to your problems” “Your ship is quickly sinking” Then he said, “I think you’ve forgotten how to dream” “It’s really easier than it may seem” “All you need do is to just believe” “And you can do anything that you can conceive” He went on, “Another thing you have forgotten” “Is that sometimes life can be a bit rotten” “You still need to learn how to deal with it” “Even though it may hurt quite a bit” I said, “I think I can learn how to dream again” “It’s something the monster and daemon shunt down” “But now that my mind is on the mend” I just need to get my brain off the ground” I went on, “Yes, life has dealt me some nasty blows “But it’s not quite as bad as some others” To deal with it is something I know” But I’d rather not, If I had my drothers” The butterfly said, “another thing you need to work on “Is something else that will never be gone” “It’s your preoccupation with fear” “You need to adjust cause it won’t disappear” He continued, “Sometimes your life can be guilt driven” “Ask the Great Spirit and you will be forgiven” “You also have the same problem with fear” Just ask His help and it will all disappear” He went on, “You need to gain more motivation” “And to improve your concentration” “You can do this by exercising your brain” “And getting rid of lazy thoughts that remain” He said, “One thing you need to have is empathy” “It’s not enough just to have sympathy” “Put yourself in the other person’s place” “To understand the pain that they may face” I said, “There you go insulting me again” “First you infer that I’m dumb, then you call me lazy” “Mr. Butterfly, I thought you were my friend” “Next will you be calling me crazy?” He said, “Not crazy, but maybe a little bit mad” “From all the damage your brain has had” “Some of which you’ll never recover from” “But that just makes you a bit looney, not dumb” I retorted, “So now my sanity is on trial” “Do you think there is that much damage to my brain?” “You’re really starting to get me riled” “First I’m dumb, then lazy, now I’m insane!” I continued, “I don’t think I’m dumb, insane or lazy” “Just a little bit unmotivated at times “Right now my mind is a little bit hazy” “Because of all your riddles and rhymes” He came back, “I did not mean to imply you were lazy” “And you’re not dumb, but maybe a bit crazy” “Courage is something you do lack” “You don’t know when to hold back or when to attack” The butterfly said, “I do not speak in riddles and rhymes” It’s how you perceive what I say in your mind” “A lot of what you say sounds like babble” “But it’s the monster and daemon’s game of scrabble” I said, “You’re saying the monster and daemon’s power” “Still holds some control over my mind” “To control then my outlook is dour” But consequences are hard to leave behind” He said, “It’s not the consequences that are hard” “The monster and daemon keep you off guard” “It’s just the residual effects” “Left by the monster and daemon’s affects” I went on, “So you’re saying the monster and daemon “That are still alive inside me” “Can influence me beyond their prison” “And I will never really be free?”