Black Butterfly Circus
out aflutter over the lawn, then zoom between
oak and maple limbs, mimic curves of tamarack,
asters, now over the tiger-lily garden
a black butterfly circus with only one clown
no sooner said: the other black clown makes the scene
they race from orange petals toward peony stalks
challenging each other to show off their cartwheels
still cavorting, dash among the branches and back
clowning in wild wing worker the green lawn stage
for no watchers but themselves like jacks-in-boxes
two were watching: birds out of sight, swift winged arrows
flew through the trees, followed the circus, swallowed it.