Mt. Charleston blue butterfly (Aricia shasta charlestonensis)

by Christian Ward

An oversized stamp more Rothko than Mondrian's perfect geometry. Blue like the framed sky slotting into place. It collects Clokey's fleabane, Lemmon'sbitterweed, Cooper rubberweed and sulphur-flower buckwheat like a diminutive philatelist. Carefully memorises every taste. Every generation to come will add to its catalogue just as I added a part of myself to my son.

About:

Featured in our July 2022 issue, "Ecology"

Click to explore the rest of the Ecology 2022 issue