𝑶𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑼𝒑𝒐𝒏 𝑨 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆

Hey, little one

you're adorable

you seemed to be on a mission

so I was happy to get you

where you need to go

but everywhere I put you

wasn't where you wanted to be

so we spent some time together

while I tried to figure out what

you were trying to find

so after a half hour of carrying you

around my yard in an effort to

find that sweet spot that you

would claim as your own

I looked you up on my phone

" furry caterpillars in Florida"

and there was a photo of someone

who looked just like you

and the introduction mentioned

" oak trees" so I set you on the

oak tree that holds my hammock

and then I read further and saw

that your cute relative is described as

"one of the most venomous

caterpillars in the U.S."

would I have acted differently had I

seen this article first?

nope

and then I read the different articles

on how to get rid of your kind and

felt sad by the thought of it all because

your venom is your weapon to keep

you from getting eaten

I know who you really are

you're not a venomous caterpillar

you are a Banded Tussock Moth

in progress

you have a purpose as an important

part of the ecosystem

a wondrous transformation

a metamorphing miracle

I didn't see you as who the

world says you are

I saw you as who you truly are

a stunning work of art

defying science and natural world

to one day emerge to lift off and up

toward the heavens on

wings created in a secret place

I'll be looking for you and one day

you may flutter past as if to say

" you saw me when I was a caterpillar

and you knew I was more"

you didn't even attempt to sting me

because you knew that I saw

the real you

when you were lost and

you crawled onto my arm

I saw you with wings.