Butterflies

In a fragile vase In a fragile vase
In your chamber are In your chamber Are
Preserved butterflies Preserved butterflies
That when touched by When That Touched by
A brilliant sun ray A brilliant sun ray
Turn to mother-of-pearl, Turn to mother-of-pearl,
Pieces of iridescent Pieces of iridescent
Evening sky Evening sky
Or opaline glimmer Or glimmer opaline
Of velvety wings; Of velvety wings;
There the azure There the azure
Daughters of the air, Daughters of the air,
Mercurial wings Mercurial wings
Now fixed forever, Now fixed forever,
Wings that traversed Wings That Traversed
Unexplored valleys Unexplored Valleys
That like the desires That like the Desires
Of your enamored soul Of your soul enamored
Seem, at dawn, It seems, at dawn,
To be revived To be revived
When you unlatch When you unlatch
Your windows and sun Your windows and sun
Explodes in your eyes Explodes in your eyes
And in crystalline panes. And in crystalline breads.