Chaos Butterfly

Chaos Butterfly
© Surazeus
2016 11 19

Parvaneh steps from bus and walks to work
at flower shop in little town in Maine,
then stops to buy mocha at coffee shop
while followed by the chaos butterfly.

Patricia steps from car and walks to work
at city bank in little town in Maine,
then sees Parvaneh wearing green hijab
while followed by the chaos butterfly.

Parvaneh sips her hot coffee and smiles
and thinks about the small town in Iran
where her young mother lived on river shore,
chasing after the chaos butterfly.

Patricia stops her with an angry glare
and shouts, "You cannot wear that headscarf now
that we elected our new president
who will deport you back where you came from."

Parvaneh stops to stare bold in her eyes,
and grins, "I was born in this little town
and I attended all the local schools,
so I am right at home where I came from."

Patricia fumes while Parvaneh slips past
and declares, "He will make you register
your name in our national database
so we can keep our eye on terrorists."

Parvaneh ignores woman at her side,
and frowns, "Just like the Germans registered
innocent Jews they gassed in prison camps,
so now you Christians are the terrorists."

Patricia snarls, then reaches out her hand
to snatch embroidered hijab off her head,
and sputters, "We will lock you all in jail,"
urged to act by the chaos butterfly.

Parvaneh ducks and swats her hand away,
then steps backs, frightened by her angry face,
and looks around for help from passing strangers,
but all trudge, charmed by chaos butterfly.

Patricia follows her to flower shop
where she paints white swastika on blue glass
then stomps away enraged to city bank,
willing agent of chaos butterfly.

Parvaneh paints box over swastika
with four letters of Love inside each square,
then covers her face and weeps from sharp fear
that fuels havoc of chaos butterfly.