Mothman

after Elizabeth Bishop and Morgan Mayback

His appearance is theatrical–
begins as a wholesome puppet show
made of his wings shadowed across
the floor, on the roof of the lamp.
Soon he manages to expand, take over
the bedroom, his wings darkening
as he moves dragonly towards us,
his delicate beauty masked in projection.
He is the biggest creature to haunt us.
He is astonishing in his grandeur
until the histrionic snap of the window shade
erases him. Somewhat. Small, he floats.