There’s a place in my front garden, near a bright elm tree,
Beyond the elm’s dark shadow where nobody can see,
It hides behind the ivy, creeping on the floor,
Just behind the climbing rose, next to my home’s front door,
There’s a black wicker garden chair sitting out of sight,
A place of contemplation where I imagine things to write,
Sometimes I put a record on, or sit with a cigar,
And let my mind go wandering, be it near or far.
Here I saw a butterfly gently land upon a soft red rose,
Delivering a secret message to the flower that it chose,
Its delicate wings avoided damage, from the threatening thorns around,
Two juxtaposing entities coexisting six feet from the ground,
If such simple parts of nature can achieve this perfect balance,
Why can’t humans do the same thing, with our amazing talents,
Stop the wars, remove dictators, and their greedy hate-filled thoughts,
Because with little effort, peace and kindness, future leaders can be taught,
Do they need a place to imagine a world, where things are better than they are,
Perhaps a chair by a bright elm tree, with thoughts wandering near and far,
The idea of thorn and butterfly, should not be so easily dismissed,
Because we face a planet filled with ashes, of those too stupid to coexist.
Dan Verkys 