The Butterfly

By Justin Lee

The caterpillar thought,

"Gee my life really sucks.

I see so many pretty things

Whenever I look up.

I want to touch those pretty things,

But on the ground I'm stuck

So, I'll build some walls around myself

Just to escape this rut."

He built the walls around himself,

And safe the insect felt

But, soon he found that

Who he used to be began to melt.

The caterpillar changed

And in his brain an idea sparked,

"This place is much too cramped for me,

And very very dark."

He struggled to break out,

But he was scared that he would fail.

"I need somebody else

To break me out of my own jail!"

A man heard his cry,

And with kindness in his heart,

He took his knife in hand

And broke the bug's cocoon apart.

The butterfly broke out

To reach the things he used to seek,

But when he spread his wings,

Sadly he found they were too weak.

Another caterpillar knew

That she could reach the moon

If she only struggled hard enough

To break through her cocoon.

The fight was long and hard but,

When she finally broke free,

She spread her wings and flew

To places higher than the trees.

She saw her friend stuck on the ground,

And flew to him with love,

To carry him up high

To see the world from up above.

Her wings were strong, but even she

Could not lift up her friend.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot fly

While bearing your burden."

He watched her fly away until

In the clouds she was lost.

"I would have tried much harder

If I knew what it would cost."

So when the world seems dark,

And there are things that make you cry,

Remember you must struggle now,

So later you can fly. ■