Butterfly
by Sharmagne Leland-St. John

I danced in his room
with the endless
hardwood floor
and mirrored walls
I saw the beaded fringes
of my pale doe skin dress
shivering
in the half light
I saw my mocassined toes
 point like a ballerina
ready to take flight
like a wedge of swans
over a misty lake
I wrapped my peyote shawl
around my shoulders
and did my very own version
of the Butterfly Shawl Dance
to the beat of his African drums
Butterfly
Pil. pal wit sa'
Papillion
Mariposa
Koi peh toila
Schmetterling
Farfalla
Borboleta
Ka ma ma
Butterfly
in many languages
she has captured
the delight of those who
watch her erratic
flight

These are the translations I know for the word:
Butterfly = English
Pil. pal. wit sa' = San Poil
Papillion = French
Mariposa = Spanish
Koi peh toila = S.W. Native American
Schmetterling = German
Farfalla = Italian
Borboleta = Portuguese
Ka ma ma = Cherokee, Tsalagi, Aniyunwiyv
Fjäril =Swedish
Sommerfugl = Danish
Vlinder, Kapel=Dutch
 Lepke=Hungarian

Turn your palms face up, cross your wrists, place your two thumbs fingerprint
side together. Now, thus anchored move the fingers of both hands up and
down.. You have just said "Butterfly" in Indian and American Sign Language.