Tuesday Slice/ Verselove: How to be a butterfly

 

Today's Slice also doubles as a poem for ethicalela.com 's Verselove,

an April poetry writing opportunity for educators.

Sheri Vasinda's prompt is a "how to be" poem, a la Barry Lane,

on an informational topic--a wonderful way to write across the curriculum!

Since I am "midwifing monarchs" on my back patio, facts were easy to come by.

How to Be a Monarch Butterfly

Feel your striated egg

at the base of a milkweed leaf

start to strain as you grow.

Bust out, eat that egg shell

then get to work eating that leaf

Don’t leave that plant–

unless you eat it all,

and move to its sister.

When your skin gets too tight,

molt–and eat that, too.

Do that several times

for a few weeks,

until you feel

the urge to change.

Now you can leave the plant

search for a place to hang out.

Make a little white knot of silk

attach your back end to it

slowly lower yourself, head-down

and arch that back until you make a J.

Relax for a few hours, until….

You feel something inside about to burst.

Skin splitting, wriggle it up and off.

Twirl and wiggle, twirl and wiggle

until that silken cord is strong

and your new green chrysalis

begins to contract, harden

displaying beautiful golden spots.

Hang out, until you feel (again!)

the urge to bust out,

the green now transparent

your dots on display.

Head first, into the world

holding on tight to that empty husk

pumping fluid into those magnificent wings.

And when they are full, and you are ready,

fly off to feed, find a mate and a milkweed plant

and lay some beautiful, tiny, striated eggs.