A Gentle Flutter

The quiet air feels cool against my forehead. I notice my small hands, then the steady wooden stem planted beneath me in the soft earth. With a quiet breath, I test my monarch wings. They tremble, then softly tilt forward until one edge brushes against a delicate green leaf beside me. The leaf sways slightly, shaking loose a tiny speck of dry soil. I am here, upright and still, listening to the night.