The Birth of a Butterfly - by Helena Sheridan
What mysteries surround the loom
That spun so intricate a tomb?
Or shroud, perhaps, one could suppose,
Made not for death, but sweet repose,
For Winter's bitter child has passed,
To bring the bee and bud at last,
And rouse you from your silken bed,
To watch your sluggish image shed.
Frail creature slip your shriveled skin,
Where soundly you have slept within,
And writhe and twist to struggle free,
While Nature waits expectantly,
For time has kept her solemn vow,
Unfastening your prison now,
To lift you gently to the sky,
An iridescent butterfly.
-The cocoon phase of the transformation gives off negative connotations through words like "prison", "shriveled", "bitter", and "tomb".
ReplyDelete-I think this is literally about the metamorphosis of a butterfly. While it can be interpreted as someone else's transformation or re-birth, the change from caterpillar to butterfly is wonderful in itself.
-I know it's probably by coincidence of short line structure, but the shape of the poem reminds me of a cocoon! :)
this poem reminds me of a spongebob episode i had seen where spongebob was trapped inside sandy's dome with a caterpillar and the caterpilar evolved into a butterfly and they thought it was a monster which is kind of ironic because this poem makes the caterpilar stage the "monster." the poem also gives me a mysterious sort of vibe as if its trying to figure out what exactly is inside a caterpilars cacoon.
ReplyDeleteTo me this poem is about the main aspect of rebirth. When we feel weak, or we feel we need a lifestyle change, we alter our thoughts therefore altering our actions. Throughout this period we think about what we want to do differently and we put our plan into effect. This is the cocoon phase. When we come out of our meditation, as if by magic, we have transformed for the better. Without knowing it, this cocoon, applies to everyday life.
ReplyDeleteBirth is usually a good thing. It is quite painful, but in the end its all worth the pain and trouble. All the long nights mothers experience awake due to back pain and EVERY SECOND sickness instead of morning sickness. All those things can make pregnancy feel a little hellish. Not to mention the actual birthing process in which you feel as if your butt's being ripped off. In the end, you have that beautiful baby boy or girl that will bring you joy until the day you die. I think thats what this poem is about.
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