She wakes me in the night
an angry voice in the hallway
heels on a wooden floor.
She comes out while I’m on the deck
leaning forward in the folding chair
turning pages eagerly.
She says Hi.
I say how are you?
Hung-over.
She pauses and I follow her gaze.
Is that a moth or a butterfly?
I say it’s a butterfly
you can tell because it rests with its wings up
not spread.
She says it looks like it’s dying.
and recedes indoors.
I think of the child’s view
that all creatures have an opposite
frogs have toads
mice have rats
and there are tricks to telling them apart.
© Saradha Koirala first published in Hue & Cry issue 4: Champion This! 2010 – out now