3rd poem by K-Sever

Butterfly in Baghdad

By Kimberly Olson

Ugliness was everywhere
In this city of war and despairDeath was all around me
Hanging so heavy in the air


The buildings lay in rubble
There were remnants of exploded cars
Each day I felt new death occur
Carving more emotional scars


To feel the tremble of a bombing
And know life just ended for many
To hear the volley of the gunfire
Crushed my hope till there wasn't any


But then I saw a butterfly
The symbol of new life
And I knew someday there'd be an end
To all this ugliness and strife


It may not end tomorrow
Or even during our lifetime
But the ugliness will go someday
Beauty will once again sublime


I followed that little butterfly
To see where it might land
Just where would it find a flower
In all this dirt and sand?


It fluttered here and fluttered there
Searching for beauty in this place
It even once came up to me
And tried landing on my face


That butterfly never once gave up
In its search for what it wanted
It flew and flew and flew and flew
Its persistence never daunted


Then there in the middle of nothing
That ever once had given me hope
Was a pretty little flower
Then I knew that I could cope


At least one of two things will happen
With everything that you endure
It will tear you down and rip you apart
Or build you stronger than before


So look to the little butterfly
When you're at the end of your rope
Let it be your inspiration
And never EVER give up hope!