Las Mariposas

Many thousands of them were sent
by their families, which I always
thought of as a migration:

butterflies that didn't understand
having to make the crossing alone.

Las mariposas de Cuba were flown
across the ocean to the mainland.
"Por favor, no me hagas!"

The children might never see
their familias again.
"¿Dónde están mamá y papá?"

And when all of them had grown,
some of the men with children grown,
even the most successful of them

would sit and speak of that day
when their homeland disappeared
behind them over half a century ago.

Each turning back into una mariposa
sent on ahead.  And would weep,
just as they had done long ago.