The Aurora Borealis 

Maria Ní Mhurchú

A butterfly lands softly on my finger

And smiles up at me

Her wings are rich in colour

Golden like the sun

With a delicate sliver of sliver

Running through them

Her antenna a gorgeous vermillion

With great big bright blue eyes

“I’ll grant you one wish” she says…

“if you won’t stamp on me”

Moths scare the hell out of me

I wish I could meet my blondy boy

It’s been seven years…

That’s my one true love-wish I say

Fear gripping my body

Because of this tiny little creature

Tears welling behind my eyes

Close your eyes

Tightly – she says

I catch my breath and do as I am bid

Isn’t courage, fear holding on a minute longer?

I feel droplets of dew falling on my face

I feel free

And throw myself under the shower of rain

Dancing the salsa like a mad-woman

Feeling like this fairie friend had lifted

My magical curse of shyness

There’s a rainbow in the sky

The butterfly disappears into a myriad of colour

And I see Ian coming towards me

Wheeling his bicycle

And an umbrella in his other hand

Just for me

The umbrella

Is a myriad of butterflies.