Caterpillar

A small caterpillar

rested on a leaf.

Eating and eating,

Learning about the world.

🐛🦋

Up above, an old butterfly sat

quietly on a branch.

Her wings faded but she was calm.

🐛🦋

“Are you a leaf, too?”

The caterpillar asked.

The old butterfly smiled.

No, little one. I used to be like you.”

🐛🦋

“But you have beautiful wings,”

said the young caterpillar.

“I grew them once, in the past

in my little dark cocoon.

In time, you will grow wings, too.”

🐛🦋

“Was it scary?”

“Yes,”

said the butterfly.

“But when it was done,

I could fly high and free.”

🐛🦋

The young caterpillar was quiet,

eating and thinking.

The butterfly waited,

as the Sun warmed them both.

🐛🦋

Change would come for both,

but not yet.

For now, they simply sat,

waiting together.

🐛🦋

©Susan Fourtané, 2025 - All rights reserved

A/N: Most caterpillars spend five to 21 days in the chrysalis stage. This varies by species and temperature. The average lifespan of a butterfly is two to four weeks for most butterfly species.

In many cases, the caterpillar’s transformation in the cocoon is just a fraction of their short but beautiful adult life. 🐛

Wonderland challenge: