On Finding an Irish Peacock Butterfly on Croagh Patrick

An Irish Peacock Butterfly, photo taken on Croagh Patrick, County Mayo Ireland (c) Alice McMahon White September 2008

Written today in about two hours, after waking with a head full of words. Please forgive the rawness, and the serious tone of this piece. The butterfly should teach lightheartedness and joy, and it did. The powerful and ethereal experience of the butterfly encounter two weeks ago in Ireland only took a moment, but changed my outlook on everything. So, I think it deserves a bit of weight in the telling. :-)

Feileacan na Péacóige

On Finding an Irish Peacock Butterfly on Croagh Patrick

(for Steve)

A fourth journey to Erin

My love as guide

Threading the needle of existence

Grace found

On Maigh Eo's ancient sacred mountain of Celt and Christian

Rough stone path of pilgrim hardship

Nature turning tides at our feet

Stark splendor

Set soul and spirit free

Sun

Moon

Fire

Lightening

Wind

Sea

Earth

Rock

On ascent in the mystical place

Overhead, a breathtaking

Breathing

Scarlet - violet rainbow

Seasons of impending joy announced by

Frail and fragile fairy dust wings

Psyche

Begging a dance

She pauses to drive the thought home

Perfectly still

Beauty

Sits for a time

Why?

To meditate on sun warmed rock -

The creature's only embrace?

Or simply trusting

Accepting in faith

The spirit capture

On descent

Changed

As travel inevitably will

Filled up and overflowing

To contemplate

Our dream awake muse

Celebration of coming home

Unknowing

New life unfurling

We pause to warm ourselves

In a lover's embrace

On stone

In brilliant sun

Breaking through cloud

(c) Alice McMahon White 2008