You begin so tiny, My Little One,
just a whisper of an egg on a Milkweed leaf.
But there you are, mellow, yellow, and striped,
delicate, yet somehow stoic
as you tenderly dream.
Soon pillar, pillar Caterpillar, off you go!
to eat, and eat the Milkweed leaf, its welcoming
home, almost yours alone, guarding and
protecting you with
its milky cream.
You shed your skin as you grow and grow,
bright orange, white, and black spiral around you,
stripes over stripes as your lovely
Milkweed offers its kindness
and sweetest esteem.
What happens next? It's so amazing, You Clever Gem!
You spin a base and hang below, spinning, spinning, spinning
from your loyal Milkweed as you both wait and wait,
anticipate, the miracle of life ever changing
in your small space.
Soon you sleep, My Dear, now beheld as a chrysalis,
a secure home as you dream about the fresh air, the sun,
the breeze flowing through your tender Milkweed flower,
its gentleness still holding you there,
keeping you in its grace.
I am overjoyed as your dreams unfold, unfold, unfold...
Oh, I have no words for what blooms and becomes --
it is YOU, glorious you, Lovely Butterfly! Now free
to flutter and fly, and fly and flutter amid your Milkweed friend
in the fresh air, the sun, and the wind --
it's all yours to embrace.
Your Milkweed keeps you in its care,
your every need lingering there.
And when you leave, as you shall do,
its love and devotion will go with you.
I admire you as you flutter by,
My Dearest, Darling Butterfly.
Your colors, bold! Your wings remark
of your joy and zeal as a new Monarch.
Comments
Dear Lavender,
God...How I love the way you write...there is so much movement in your poetry! You bring words to life and animate them. You have such style! i loved these lines:
Oh, I have no words for what blooms and becomes --
it is YOU, glorious you, Lovely Butterfly! Now free
to flutter and fly, and fly and flutter amid your Milkweed friend
in the fresh air, the sun, and the wind --
it's all yours to embrace.
*hugs, Cat
*ever, eddy styx
I loved the story...
but the many mentions of the milkweed became a little monotonous. I think that it could do with a bit less of milkweed, and
maybe more of the amazing journey that this awesome butterfly makes, from the southern reaches of Mexico to all points north. ~ Geez.
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Hello, Geezer,
Thank you for your insight with this! I'll give all your suggestions some thought! I was hoping to keep the poem tightly centered around the magic of the birth of the butterfly, and that the reference to leaving would carry the imagination as to what happens next. But I'll think a bit on this!
Thank you!
L
Maybe...
adjust the lines so that you can use more specific areas of the plant, the stalk, buds and crooks where the plant divides.
Shadey, with just the right amount of sunshine, etc. We already know by the first few lines that the plant is milkweed, why not take advantage of the rest of reference to specific parts? I'm sorry if I seemed a bit abrupt. I didn't mean to go away without saying that I did enjoy the poem, your vision is perfect, where nature is concerned. I had no problem in seeing where you were at every point. Remember, it's your vision, not mine. ~ Geez.
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Hi, Geezer,
I'm gonna sit on this a day or two and see what surfaces. Tried to convey how important the milkweed is to the monarch as it is the one and only plant a monarch can survive on, but I can see and understand that the repetition may be monotonous. You have given me some great suggestions which I am always grateful! Thanks for your help with this!
L
Hello, Cat and Eddy,
Thank you for your very kind words! Mother Nature has so much to say about her many extraordinary miracles! I appreciate your reading and commenting!
Lx
Dear Lavender
Your piece brings peace to me if you know what I mean.
It also , with all the details teaches the reader- (I included) about the development of the caterpillar untill it becomes a butterfly.
I Would say the same could be said about any 'female'
This is really lovely and an enjoyable read indeed.
Thank you for sharing such a gem.
Hello, Rula,
Mother Nature certainly knows her stuff! I find it truly amazing how life involves such fine detail, precision, and connection. It is so humbling to be even a small part of it, as we all are.
Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts, my dear friend!
Lx
I echo Rula I love when a
I echo Rula I love when a poet connects a phenomenon with a phenomenon like a transferable skill. Well crafted and informative. I felt like a proud parent with a camcorder or a 2am National Geographic doc. Either way I came away from this poem different then before. Love it and you write so effortlessly but with great care.
Hello, Tawny,
Like most of nature, the monarch and the milkweed have this incredible relationship. Pretty cool, really. I thank you for your lovely remarks and insight to this. I am very touched!
L