Not far from the Sardine Saloon in Pacific Grove
regal monarch butterflies seek
sure sanctuary,
cluster on
cypress,
pine,
and
fir
trees
blanket
lean-tos and
chicken wire grids
gather on the fall equinox
absorb the menthol fragrance of eucalyptus leaves.

The dense kaleidoscopes-roosts-cover most surfaces
like orange and black quilts, wings move
like blacksmith billows
breathing life
into
their
rite
as
they
wait out
the winter
in a Goldilocks
sanctuary-microclimate
not too cold, not too hot, where temperature's just right.

Under full moon cadences, the dance builds momentum;
as I shine my flashlight on their
delicate naked
forms dusting
autumn's
brisk
winds
with
fine
powder
undeterred
by potential threats,
females lay eggs on milk weed leaves,
imprint migration messages coded for offspring.