In the flickering dusk of existence,
three butterflies danced by a candle’s flame.
The first, timid and trembling,
fluttered near the golden light,
whispering softly to the night.
“I know of love”
its warmth a distant glow,
a tale told by others,
a melody carried on the wind.
The second, believing itself braver than the first.
“Understand the nature of love”
And
dipped a wing into the fire’s embrace,
felt the sting, the sudden flare
“ love can burn,
its touch a searing truth,
a scar etched in fragile lace,
an echo of what could be lost.”
But the third, oh, the third
Said “ I know nothing of love or its nature”
And
dared the leap into the heart of flame,
surrendered to the consuming blaze,
where light and shadow blur into one…
She alone, in the consuming silent embrace of being freed of form,
Lived the essence of true love,
where pain, passion, pleasure purpose merge, then fall away
and the soul of love is both candle and flame.
we are these butterflies, chrysalis to consumption,
circling the inferno of our desires, dreams, fantasies and fallacies.
each deciding how close to fly,
how much to risk in love’s relentless releasing fire.
the flame speaks, to us and through us
not just in hunger, not as harm,
but the ultimate truth is that we are not this form, and we are not this finite frail thing and we were made for the fire.
Can we allow what is dead and dusty, damp and dark, dreadful and cruel to be consumed by what we truly are…. Love.
In that gentler burning, masks loosen and fall,
names we learned to answer to grow quiet.
What remains steps forward unguarded,
warm, unadorned, and unmistakably real.
This is the fire that asks for nothing, and accepts all,
that leaves love standing,
stripped of practice and pretense and the lie that we must be pure to be welcomed into its embrace.
🦋A
Reading this metaphorical poem about butterflies dancing near a candle’s flame reminds me of how love is often an exploration of courage and vulnerability. In my own experience, learning to love fully means risking getting ‘burned’—not physically, but emotionally. The first butterfly’s timid fluttering resonates with those of us hesitant to open up, afraid of pain and rejection. I've been there, guarding my heart and observing love from a distance. The second butterfly’s braver but cautious approach reflects a stage I recognize well—one where I dipped a wing into love’s fire, feeling the sting of heartbreak, the sudden flare of disappointment. Love can leave scars, but those marks also tell stories of growth and resilience. Sometimes, the pain is what teaches us the true value of connection and the importance of self-awareness. The third butterfly’s leap into the heart of the flame, surrendering to the consuming blaze, symbolizes the profound experience of surrendering ego and fear in love. This reminds me of the times when I stopped resisting vulnerability and fully embraced love’s complexity—its pain, passion, pleasure, and purpose merged in a transformative experience. It felt like losing and finding myself at the same time, like becoming ‘both candle and flame.’ This poem beautifully captures how we all circle our desires and dreams, deciding how close we dare to fly. Love is not just about keeping safe but about allowing the ‘dead and dusty, damp and dark’ parts of ourselves to be consumed and reborn by what we truly are: love itself. It reminds me that true intimacy arises when masks fall and we show up unguarded, warm, and unmistakably real. If you’re struggling with love’s challenges or seeking a deeper understanding of connection, this metaphor invites you to reflect on your own readiness to face love’s fire. It challenges the misconception that purity or perfection is required to be embraced by love—rather, love welcomes all aspects of our being. In embracing love’s relentless fire, we find not destruction, but profound liberation and truth.
