i caught it with both hands my little butterfly i took it on a whim it caught me by surprise to find it on my path my sullen march to work i held it in my grasp like a flame so thin a flame that never burns i held it to my chest and smuggled it back home it shivered at my palm the thought of what awaits a sample on a board a piercing through the chest a steady hand to prise arms out stretched and then firmly pinned pressed to the wood all waxed and stiff sometimes i fear i cant handle this the pace and scale of remorselessness even the kids here would tear its wings rip out her colours all paper thin these are the things you cant shrink from this weep for the stalk of a fallen leaf take what i can and then leave the rest holding it tight in one gripped fist i let her in my home let her find her way its here that well forget only for today just within these walls shell never see it all shes fading in my arms with a breath so faint a voice that never spoke