i found another swallowtail today. i know they’re everywhere right now but when i find them i like to think instead, that they find me. my grandma bev would put out her arm or a finger and a butterfly would always land on her. she had that kind of magic with birds and all kinds of other animals too. they liked her. there were all the squirrels, the stray dogs, the daddy long legs we named herman that she let live in the corners of the house. she was the st. francis of the neighborhood. the saint of my life who showed me the fun of rolly pollies and the sweet taste of honeysuckle.
so as i cradled that pretty fragile thing into my room i thought of grandma. and as i gathered all of the brightly colored, sweet smelling flowers today i thought of her too.