Tag Archives: pain

Mariposa  

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©CHAINFOTO24/Shutterstock.com

Mariposa, drifting through the wind, 
couldn’t wait to grow wings so that your life could begin. 

Found it hard to come out of your shell, 
but that’s a secret you’d never tell.

Mariposa, with the colors of fiery embers, 
went searching for warmth this September. 

All grown-up, with so much to live up to, 
suffered silently, while nobody else knew. 

Mariposa, why do you cry?
withstood wounds, yet still you could fly. 

Though you held on for as long as you could, 
you endured more than anyone should. 

Mariposa, breathe deep and close your eyes. 
You gained a new kind of wings, so in the place you left is where your memory lies.

Once just an adolescent, 
now your spirit shines iridescent.

Mariposa, your metamorphosis was remarkable for all to witness, 
it’s a tragic tale, your story had to end in sickness.

~~~
Much like last month’s post, inspiration for this piece came not from a true personal experience, but simply by learning about the life of monarch butterflies. Did you know that final generation monarch butterflies (born in spring, migrate south in fall) typically have a much longer lifespan (months as opposed to weeks) than the first generation (born late summer/early fall, migrate north in spring)? However, any of the migratory monarchs are likely to face threats to their survival along their journey. Therefore, some of the final-generation monarchs may not live as long as they are expected to, hence the idea behind this piece. I used the Spanish translation of butterfly, “mariposa”, as a nod to Spanish Heritage Month (September 15th-October 15th). If you’ve made it to the end of this, thanks for reading!

Sunburn

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We burned brighter than the sun until the day you left—left me here with nothing but the memory of you, stinging like a sunburn. 
You were untouchable; the person I once was had so much to learn.

I craved your affection like my body craves the warmth of the sun,
so why did you have to run? 

I’ve tried to peel your ghost from my scorched skin but you were determined to leave your mark. 
You set me on fire, then left me here to burn in the dark.

So, like an insatiable itch that won’t go away, 
you haven’t left my mind to this day. 

I often ponder about what we could’ve had, 
If only I knew then, it would hurt this bad.

I shouldn’t have ignored all the warning signs, but I did. 
Can you blame me? I was only just a kid.

It took some time, but what I know now, 
is that I’ll never let another break me down.

Now here I am, a freckle-faced girl with a brand new glow,
someone I could’ve never been without the tear stains written in your name on my pillow. 

I used to see the golden sun in your eyes,
but somewhere in between tender tan lines and little white lies,

I’ve forgotten your name. 
You’re fading now, so there’s not much more to say. 

I once thought I was at the point of no return, 
thankfully the pain you caused was only temporary, much like a sunburn. 
~~~
When you’ve never experienced romance nor the heartbreak that can stem from it (thankfully!), as a writer, sometimes you have to rely on other familiar experiences, pure imagination, and some dramatics to create stories. As is the case with this poem, the idea of which was inspired entirely by an actual sunburn I obtained this summer (that I still have tan lines from). Pretty neat, right?