In One Fell Swoop

‘In one fell swoop’

I heard someone say

Again

And smiled

Knowingly

Recalling my English teacher’s words

The murder of Macduff's wife and all his children

In one vicious blow

Was evil

This is the meaning of 'fell'

In Shakespeare's Macbeth

Since fallen by the wayside

Neutralized

In one swoop

To signify nothing at all

I smiled sadly

Nostalgically

Occupying my high academic ground

Until one day

I tripped up

And fell

In the mud

And came face to face with a flower

Petals open to the world

Once a tightly shut bud

Now exposed to the ever-changing present

A butterfly settled on its petals

A child ran past chasing a ball

I took a deep breath

Stood up

And running to shake off the mud

Let go of every negative meaning

I had ever given to my life

In one fell swoop