The True Story of a Prayer Left on the Lips

Dig the dichotomy between good and evil, light and dark. It's often used, but rarely executed well. I think you nailed it here, using the butterfly on the polar opposite body part while the snake makes his move. Well done, fun read.

Once again, I think William's title is the key to this poem. I see a trembling butterfly of a loving gesture struggling futilely against the beast of trouble and depression tormenting the narrator. But though the gesture cannot free the narrator and is powerless to lift him, the beast, while it causes exquisite pain and fear, is unlikely to kill the narrator. Sometimes the only way through is to dig in, reach for the light, and keep standing until one no longer can.

It is a beautiful poem, although (despite the message of fortitude and endurance against trouble), it makes me sad.

Liked this. You're on a roll, and that's no onion! FYI, my recent prayer flew from my lips to God's ear with GPS accuracy, apparently!

You are so fucking talented, it's almost hard to watch.

Another fine example right here.

I've come back to this one many times over the last few days, trying to find the right words, to come up with a fitting response, but I have nothing. Only that I understand it, find it lovely and painful all at once, and I am thankful that I've dug in enough times to be around to read it over and over.

I'm with you, Sara. I printed this one out, along with William's last one.

No one does poignant better than William.

Love this, love your work. Just read it for the first time and plan to re-read much much more. This is my absolute favorite kind of poem, a poem that I can feel clearly yet whose meanings seem to peek out from beneath somehow. The kind of thing I almost don't want to "figure out" quite yet, just want to enjoy. Beautiful!