Black Swallowtail Butterfly on Buddleia
The royal blossoms droop
at the branches’ end. Each purple cup’s
center holds a hint of carrot orange.
Its scent laces the air. A Black Swallowtail
alighted on the flowers, a gentle sway
of the outermost stem. Slowly, the butterfly
fans its wings as it uncoils its proboscis
to sip nectar from each cup.
The folded hindwing is edged
in burnt orange ovals leading into sky blue
rectangles which merged into another row
of orange ovals. Its forewing holds two lines
of white splotches. The body dotted white.
Walking on the purple cups, the butterfly probes
each one for nectar.
Come end of summer, its wings will be ragged.
Deep South Magazine
2025
