the million monarchs of myself
finding rest in your trees
overwintering overjoyed
having traveled farther than I know
knowing to travel farther
a myriad myriad disparate oranges
moving into and be moved into
one truest most massive orange
over smeared and obliterative last-nights
and disheveled impossible yesterdays
over star-flung last-nights and
perfectly intricate yesterdays
having ascended a mile up into bluest heights
and swayed on the tips of colorless weeds
the currents have brought me here
and my instincts have brought me here
and great-big invisible hands my tiny eyes can’t see
have brought me here
in the warmths of your canopy
I flitter and then cling
knowing I will survive and thrive
covering your every surface with life
overwintering then oversoaring
swarming up until even my shadows are fluttering
throwing my colors into the sky
lofted from your hands
