Butterfly Ballet

When the last butterfly flitted off my back screen,
I sipped more of my coffee in morning serene.
On a rare day sans work, second cup in my hand,
I again watched the butterfly ballet so grand.

Yet serenity left as if chased by a boar
with a ring of the phone and a knock at the door.
It was like simultaneous chaos from Mars--
lost was butterfly ballet to exploding stars.

So I gathered my nerves in a dust pan of tense
adamant that this sudden shock did not make sense.
As I answered the phone with my eyes to the back,
further door knocking caused me more panic attack.

Now I was blowing bubbles--what more can I say?
Peace and quiet no more nor my lovely ballet.
I spoke into the phone saying, “Can you please hold?”
then approached the door cautiously, feeling quite cold.

(I am a tiny Buddha alone in my thought
  shaken by morn’s disruption--I’m Gordian knot.
  Torn away is the ballet from butterfly wings
  and bestowed with this synchronous call, of all things.)

(No, no butterfly ballet would frighten me so;
  wings of Heaven assuaging taut nerves--apropos.
  Now the morning delightfulness gives way to grist;
  tender loin to fried chicken, flat palm to a fist.)

I approached like a thief to the door with knock’s din
all the while a-wonder about letting in
some unseen morning visitor on the attack
ousting ballet of butterfly, void of all tact.

So I inched to the peephole with strain in my neck
and upon seeing nothing I thought, What the heck?
Then as I put my ear to the door (open wide),
I could hear heavy breathing on the other side.

I thus called for identity--no response came;
in my mind thoughts then formed of some predator’s game.
With a start and a shake I dashed back to the phone
thinking maybe the twilight had misplaced its zone.

On the phone, barely audible, whispering voice:
“Please don’t answer the door, please don’t make the wrong choice.”
There were butterflies dancing inside me that day
when I looked at the door and chased anxious away.


40 Lines
Anapestic Tetrameter
Writer’s Cramp
9-12-15

Requirements:

1.) Setting: Your character is enjoying a second cup of coffee on a rare day off,
    the phone rings at the same time there is a knock at the door.

2.) Include the following:
    --the last butterfly
    --blowing bubbles
    --a tiny Buddha
    --fried chicken
    --heavy breathing