Transformation
We searched for tiny, white worlds,
eggs on milkweed,
like Horton and his speck of dust.
Now, we are observing
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
who must eat
and grow,
eat
and
grow.
Watching children
watch their caterpillars
and care for them
creates a chrysalis
for us to share.
Our wonder spins the silk button that
anchors our retreat and reflection.
We become more.
We are monarchs.
We emerge
together,
daily,
to fly on wings of
books, drawings, dances,
paintings, poems, stories,
questions, songs, gardens,
and dreams.
Over the weekend, one of the monarch butterflies that my family and I have been raising emerged from her chrysalis. We did this project with several other Casey families after we rescued the eggs and harvested milkweed during a special Monarch Butterfly Rescue program of the Clinton Community Nature Center. I highly recommend this annual event to all families!
I wrote "Transformation" during the process of raising "Matilda" (in photos above) from an egg to a butterfly with my children and sharing her with groups of students at various schools. I had intended to read the poem for the Poetry Out Loud portion of our Casey Family Arts Festival on Saturday, May 2, but I couldn't find my poem when it was my turn.
I also wrote this poem while writing an essay about arts integrated education for Anne Foster's Education Blog for change.org. I do not claim to be a poet. However, I love reading poetry, and I like how the process of writing a poem distills my thoughts to what is essential. Both the field study/scientific experience of raising the monarch butterflies and the creative process of crafting my poem informed the writing of the essay. Likewise, drafting the essay informed the development of the poem. Finally, a little bit of my background as a children’s librarian found it’s way into the poem, too.
Casey Elementary and its emphasis on arts integration has transformed my children's lives and my life as a parent (and librarian), too.
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