Crimson wings float on darkened skin
As a silver blade slices ever deeper,
Slowly penetrating antiqued scars,
A butterfly's life lost within that moment.
A life severed, but never recaptured
Due to the selfishness of self mutilation.
Caught up in a whirlwind of endless movement,
A butterfly lain to rest with scarlet droplets.
Author notes
For those who haven't heard of the Butterfly Mission: Draw a butterfly on yourself with a permanent marker and name it. If you cut before it completely fades away, that means you killed it. If you don't cut until it fades away, it survived. But be sure not to make the butterfly fading away an excuse to cut after its gone. Just draw another before the other one goes away completely. If the butterfly doesn't live, its ok, don't beat yourself up for it. Just start over!
I've been self-harming on and off for a few years now. When I heard of the Butterfly Mission, I tried it. It's been a few months now since the last time I cut.
In a list
A contest entry
- Scar Tissue by ea.
900 points, ended May 2, 2008, 11 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Common Cliche by CarissaHailea.
425 points, ended August 2, 2008, 11 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - project un-cliche by hks.
800 points, ended October 3, 2008, 20 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Sucide and Cutting and Depression by stargardt13.
550 points, ended October 3, 16 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 55 of 55
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Beautiful poem.
Good luck in your recovery and my contest
Meggen -
This very amazing and I really like the butterfly concept and I think I might actually try it out so thanks for that
... Thank you so very much for taking the time to enter my contest and good luck to you!!! 
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wow. this was awesome. truly. I never knew about this "butterfly" thing, but It makes me wanna draw one lol. I think we should all have a permanent butterfly.
thanks for entering : )
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I'm gonna go and draw a butterfly on my wrist now, even though I stopped cutting, it would be cool to explain to someone.
This is an amazing write.
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wow i really like your idea about the butteryfly. Ill have to share it with my friends too. My favorite lines were a butterfyl lain to rest with scarlet droplets. This poem was amazing. I loved the imagery it had. Thanks for entering my contest.
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SHOCKED!
Wow, this kind of shocked me.
I myself am i butterfly lover.
And this would have never crossed my mind.
This is a really good piece of poetry here though.
Kind of dark with alot of imagery. In your piece i actually thought you were killing the butterfly. So i am glad i read the authors notes.
Great job indeed.
-Mandi
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This is really good. The butterfly mission sounds like an excellent idea. I admit, when I saw the format, I was expecting rhyme, but you seemed to get along quite nicely here without it, so nice job there. Thanks for the comment on my work, sorry it took so long to return.
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WOW. Great write. I like how related it is with the "Butterfly Mission"!! It astonished me. XDD Keep up the good work!!
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Very well written, and I agree, right to the point. Thanks for entering, and good luck.
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I really like that idea. The poem itself was very short and to the point. Thanks for entering!
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This is beautiful, and I really like the idea behind it. I hope it works (or worked) for you, since the fact that so many young people are harming themselves this way breaks my heart
Well done love & take care
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I really liked this. It was on a cliche topic but the actual idea you've penned it with was very un-cliche and very new to me...I guess we learn something everyday.
Some of your phrasing was very refreshing, like antiqued scars and selfishness of self mutilation - those phrased really stood out to me.
I did not like the use of crimson ans scarlet in this piece - too cliche for it I felt.
I liked this Thanks for the entry!
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I like the symbolism in this. Unusual concept and very vivid imagery. Well done.
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wow. this poem is very interesting indeed. I love the ending and the flow is great. good job
best of luck to you in this contest and in the future...
andi
(redhanded) -
Oh... I see. That's kinda cool, actually. Try to keep the butterfly alive... nice. Great poem as well. Beautiful.
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Wow that is a fantastic concept. It must really help. Thank you so much for your amazing entry.
Dani. -
wow thats like a really good idea
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Thank You 4 Entering our Contest Project Un-Cliche
Hello there I am a judge for the contest mentioned above and OMGosh I am extremely impressed and down right slack jawed at the write you have penned here. your author's note is just spot on and it really makes alot of sense too. I love your depth and the overall quality to your poem too. any ways I mean you really shed alot of inishgt and offer great advice for those who are struggling with cutting ect. any ways just a really well penned impressive piece and I respect you gfor that. congratulations on your wqeekl earned Gold & Silver trophies. any ways excellent write & best of luck in our contest
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Butterfly mission - that' so cool!
I actually was thinking butterfly knives at first, and I think it's still a plausible interpretation =P
Where it said "life lost", I thought it was "lost" in the sense of "losing yourself in the music" or something.
If you really want ppl to avoid my interpretation, you can revise...
but I don't think you will, and I kinda hope you don't ^.~
"A butterfly lain to rest with scarlet droplets."
That line is just rocking awesome. I feel good about picking up on the SCARlet part. There's even internal rhyme!!
Is the repetition of "L" sounds intentional?
Regardless, I think it's a nice effect. When I notice these things, I never know if I'm reading too much into it or not...
"Due to the selfishness of self mutilation."
I like this line a lot too. I get the feeling of emphasis on the "self". However, I'd like it even more if it were "self-mutilation" >.>
good job good job good job
way to take a horribly overdone topic and make something beautiful of it
(in an angsty sort of way, I guess)
I really liked it.
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I really like your comments, they're always so well thought out.
Yeah, the "self mutilation" part probably should have been hyphenated, I'll go change that shortly.
Thankyou
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Sin,
I've read this piece from you before,
but I guess I've never commented, which is weird ahah.
Thanks for entering hun ♥
-rainbow. -
'Caught up in a whirlwind of endless movement,
A butterfly lain to rest with scarlet droplets.'
those end lines are so so beautiful, I've never heard of the butterfly misson but I think your beautiful words symbolise your description
hope that made sense
lovesss.♥
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love this..and the thing about the butter fly i wish someone would have thought about something like that when i was younger and into cutting case i belive it could have helped me!
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WoW what a read. Someone entered your poem
into my contest. I enjoyed this because it
is some what deep, yet it must have beauty
within, as butterflies do. I'm not feeling the cuttung part, that's a bit to much for me. Yet all and all, this is some really good writing.
I enjoyed a lot.
Loveandblessings2u & yours always
Joyce
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Excellent
When I first started reading this I saw it being about someones life. And then as I read it deeper I realized what it was. This is really a great piece of poetry as I can relate to it though an offspring.
It is short therefore not boring and direct in an indirect way. I hope this piece goes a long way and you should share this with many others besides just here at allpoetry. Keep your wings floating and know there are many cacoons that need nourished.
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I love how short and compact it is yet it posesses the art that takes it out of simple writing and into the realm of poetry. Great Job! Small powerful things like this get me every time. While reading, a slight pressure is applied to an effective emotion-gut in my innards. Thanks... Just thanks.
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Amazing!
What a beautiful way to personify the butterfly. Especially to have so much imagery, creativity, metaphor, depth, and originality! Exquisite piece I must say! My favourite part is:
Slowly penetrating antiqued scars
So beautifully descripted! Enjoyed reading this! Thanks!!
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Sissy,haven't talked to you in a long time.
The author's note alone is amazing
then you go and have the poem is even more amazing,
and it is actually very true,you know? And I liked that about it. Great work,and congrats on the gold and silver and future trophies lol.
...Simply Me♥
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As a retired tattoo artist you have provoked many thoughts with your wonderful write. I had tattooed many butter flys and I realize that hry live.
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this is a lovely melancholy piece, and a unique take on the prompt! im really glad you included the information on the butterfly mission in your notes, because i really wouldnt have got the deeper meaning otherwise.
i like that youve taken a really cliched topic and breathed new life into it. very refreshing!
thanks heaps for entering
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I had never heard of the butterfly mission before this poem. I am so glad you explained in your notes because I was thinking the blood actually dripped on a real butterfly's wings causing it to no longer fly and thus die. This is well written and I love the metaphore since you explained.Congrats on the silver
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I love this.
I absolutely love it.
Excellently written.
Wonderfull imagery.
It flows perfectly.
I love the adjective you used.
Welcome to the preliminary finalists list =p
Good luck [=
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Wow... Jojo. This is great. Just wow... I can't believe I just saw this. Oops. Anyway, I've got nothing to say. It was great.
(Very glad I am a puppy dog who can read.)
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Your authors note explain a lot. The hut your going though. This rite is good, keep writing. Best to you in the contestttttt.
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Holy cow. I think I entered that contest on scar tissue, no wonder my poem did not win, this poem is so deep and amazing.
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Thank You
No further comment Just
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at first i was confused, i hadnot heard of the butterfly mission, now understanding that your poem means so much more to me. It captured my attention the first time i read it, after understanding the topic more and reading it again, it brought tears to my eyes.
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Because I don't know anyone who is a cutter (should say that I don't know anyone who I know is a cutter) I pretty much skip over the topic when it comes to poetry.
This poem captured my attention though. It's short, making it easy to read, but well written and with a powerful message.
Great write, and hopefully the people who it is aimed at find the message helpful.
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hate these writes when they're from u makes me think that you're cutting again.
Besides that well penned
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Beautifully decorated piece.
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get a tattoo,
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this is worth gold in all the contest you have this in a really great piece you penned here it was a pleasure rading your stuff good luck to you in the contest
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Wow this is very deep its amazingly vivid and powerfull! Awsome!!
~Ocean~
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wow
powerful write -
Your notes are really a revelation and your poem so poetically describes your own attempts to employ the "Butterfly Mission" - I found this fascinating and hope more people find out about this through your piece. All the best to you in your battle against cutting and congrats on a gold winning write!
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Thank you so much for the trophy and for taking the time to read this.
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this poem is beautiful girlios ....
***Crimson wings float on darkened skin***
***A butterfly lain to rest with scarlet droplets.***
so sad, but so elegantly written ....
Kiks
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Very well written I loved it. I should try the butterfly thing as well. Good luck with the contest
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ah. i like this. and i can relate. i gotta try the butterfly thing. i've never heard of that before. i like this poem cuz it was pretty tasteful for a cutting poem. most of them are redundant and not so graceful.
good job. and good luck in the contest.
<3
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It was well writen and very good. It was full of emotoins even in jsut a few words. It was very deep. Good job keep writen.
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well its good but i just dont care for the cutting. but its really good. you wrote it well
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i thought of butterfly stitches and the life being extinguished was the person in the poem cutting again before the cut was healed, and so making a larger scar by opening up the wound, so i guess kinda a similar idea! i like the idea of butterfly mission xxx
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Beautiful, I've never heard of the Butterfly Missions before. The words used are incredibly delicately used, fantastic write.
(although I didn't understand it until I read the Author notes)
=]
x-Underdose-x
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This is beautiful; and it definitely makes sense. The first stanza is especially good.
Well penned...
~QoA
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wow you made that act of cutting seem so beautiful by your words.. the butterfly is a good idea i think!
great write it flowed beautifully!!
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