Butterfly Song

By Shelli Sharp

"She was two small sprigs of a plant, commonly known as a Spider Wort, that her gardener renamed Sleepy Lucy. She received her name on account of her blooming habits. Early in the morning, before the sun rose, Lucy would open her petals to greet the dew..."

"Very rarely, a butterfly would visit and weave colorful stories set to wistful tunes of transplants who had found more than just rich soil. A Lucy lucky enough to be immortalized in a song that was carried on the gossamer wings of a butterfly had found one thing – love."

Butterfly Song is a two-part book about finding joy and reassurance in the midst of grief, and the inspiration of a sweet story about a magical garden of flowers and how one such Lucy becomes accustomed to her new home with them. Meanwhile, in a garden far away, a hibiscus named Harvey is so lovesick, he's nearing his demise. Will Alfalfa, the butterfly, sing about Lucy? Will Harvey survive?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 24, 2016
• ISBN: 9781329924758

Book preview

Butterfly Song

Butterfly Song

Copyright

Copyright ©2016 by Shelli Sharp.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2016

ISBN 978-1-329-92475-8

Shelli Sharp

PO Box 16004

Rocky River, OH 44116

www.ShelliSharp.com

Dedication

for Jenji – this all started with a piece of talking celery…

Gratitude

Thank you, Mom, for your rave reviews of all my work, but especially this story.  Thank you, Dad, for sitting at the piano with me and helping me write my first song.  Thank you, Don, for your encouragement to just get the story out of me, regardless of what anyone might or might not read into it.  Thank you, Chaz, for your own story that touched me so deeply, for your sacred work here on earth that connected me to you, for your willingness to prescreen this story, for your refreshingly honest and valuable feedback, and most of all, for showing me that there is Grace in any process, especially that of Grief.  Thank you, John, for listening to me read the story to you over and over and over again, for always enjoying it, for reminding me of my gift, and for loving me like nobody else ever has or ever will. 

Part I - The Promise

Challenge

I grew up with magical grandparents.  They were integral parts of what Tom Brokaw referred to as The Greatest Generation.  Having listened to him read his book of that title on audio, I must agree with his assertion.  Indeed, they are the greatest.

My grandfather worked at the nickel plant and my grandmother was a high school teacher.  They gardened and traveled and spoiled their grandchildren for Christmas with whatever was circled in the Sears Wishbook.  My grandfather knew birdsongs and let bees crawl on his fingers from the edge of a dandelion.  He sang silly songs to me and led singing in church on Sundays with his rich, gravelly bass.  My grandmother knew flowers, fruits, vegetables, how to do taxes and keep a budget, the best possible way to deal with people, and how to lead by example.  She also knew that I was a writer.

I had been an adult - if only in age - for a few years when