Poetry Collection.

"Dream of the Butterfly, Dine With the Spider."

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as a child i was given a choice between
butterflies
and
spiders.
i saw those who looked like me
chasing after the butterflies.
i saw their bright eyes and
wide, toothy grins.
i saw them running,
and jumping,
and flying with the butterflies,
and i knew that i wanted to fly, too.
and so i followed them.

soon i realized something was different.
i held out my finger for minutes,
hours,
days,
years,
a lifetime,
wanting, longing, begging
for just one little butterfly.
and still, they never came.

i tried to run and jump and fly
with the kids who looked like me,
confused as to why the butterflies
avoided me.
but with these kids and their butterflies,
my eyes never shone and my mouth never smiled,
and i hated running and jumping
to a false tune.

one day i was sitting in the grass,
picking tufts out of wishing flowers
and munching on broken lolly sticks,
when i felt the most peculiar tickle on my leg.
i jumped at first,
but i turned my leg over,
and there sat a spider
staring back.

i took it gently in my hands
and smiled as its fuzzy body tickled my skin.
i looked into its hundred eyes
and saw my reflection for the very first time.
and what i saw in the spider,
i liked much more
than the butterfly.

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(August 8, 2022.)