In the silence of a summer afternoon
I can hear the gentle rustling
of the swallowtail's wings as it floats,
delicately sliding along unseen air currents
only it can sense.  

Like living tissue paper it glides above me,
sunlight passing through bold stripes of yellow
while it searches for the perfect flower of mock orange
to alight, sip, and drink in the sweet nectar
of the day's beauty.  

Photo taken June 16, 2007 on Washington's Klickitat River trail.  Tiger Swallowtail:  Papilio rutulus, Mock Orange:  Philadelphus lewisii.  This image was retouched to remove minor damage to the wings.  To see what changed, open the full detail view.   Click here to see a list of plants for attracting butterflies to your garden in the Portland, Oregon area and Columbia Gorge.