An egg
Tiny and round
Decorated with fine deep ridges
And microscopic internal architecture
More complex than its shell.
Mother left it behind
Attached to a leaf
A luscious green solitude
With a home and food nearby.
A caterpillar
A long eccentric worm
With 8 bit stripes and spindly-
Dangerous hairs.
It grows
It learns
It sheds its skin.
A chrysalis
The shell of a transformation
A new beginning
From youth to adult
Naivete to wisdom
And growth-
Tissues broken down
New structures, new architecture built
Made from browns and greens
That camouflage and protect.
An adult
A colorful butterfly emerges
Spreads its wings for the first time
Trying them on for size
And feeling beautiful,
Full of life
Ready to fall in love
See new places
And thrive.