Tellin’ Stories 2008
The Trail of Broken Butterfly Wings
I took this picture while hiking with my brother (more on that later) a couple weeks ago on the four mile hiking trail at Swayback Mountain in Wetumpka Alabama. Just thirty minutes from Montgomery this is a series of trails, going from one mile up to eleven, I think. The trails circle a mountain that over looks a lake. The hike, of course, was my brother Lo’s, idea. Discovering that Montgomery lifestyle affords you a lot of time to discover alternative and diverse ways to entertain oneself, he invited me for so much needed exercise: physical mental and spiritual.
And we came to this bright slaughter.
A still colorful butterfly torn in half, its wings complete in their separation. It could not have happened long ago, no dust or grime or dirt marred the beauty of these two vibrant signposts of something brutal this way had passed.
Then I saw something else.
The continuance of the transformation.
We hail the butterfly that changes from the lowly worm never wondering at the further beauty that must explode from the end of this flying dream.
This transformation became a marker of a great day to be a man.
My brother brought his camera and I brought mine. I’ve found photos from my brother’s eye make great source material for illustrations and paintings and sometimes I find myself using the camera to resource design ideas or color ideas or moments of acting. Also this hike allowed Lo and me to talk about stuff brothers have talked about for centuries, but with fewer disruptions and distractions.
Reminds me of a line from a late eighties pop joint:
“So take these broken wings and learn to fly again….”
I like that better than another meditation on man’s destruction of nature. Makes me a lot more hopeful.
Elias
