Nine Black Butterflies on a Propane Tank

There's nine black butterflies
       resting on the spine of a silver
              propane tank, beneath the shady

over-hang of a linden tree,
       everything dripping and glistening
              in the sun, which has just now

come back out again
       after a brief morning thundershower,
              allowing us to resume the solemn ritual

of black coffee and brown sugar and
       the making of lists of things to do today
              that may or may not ever get done.