A butterfly flaps its wings,

A fluttering of wild intent,

As a wind stirs softly

Lifting up a fragile thing.

 

A fluttering of wild intent,

The mantis strikes swiftly

Lifting up a fragile thing,

Now it becomes dinner.

 

The mantis strikes swiftly

But fails to note the other

Now it becomes dinner

For a hungry forest frog.

 

It fails to note the other,

Eyes fixed on prey ahead.

For a hungry forest frog

Is now the heron’s mark.

 

Eyes fixed on prey ahead,

Now stealthily stalking fox,

Knows the heron’s mark,

Will keep it distracted.

 

Now the stealthily stalking fox,

Is set on by the hunting dog,

Will it keep, distracting,

To its unknowing kill?

 

Letting loose the hunting dog

The master unwittingly,

To his unknowing, kills the butterfly;

The fluttering wild intent.