Ivan the Caterpillar was not patient at all.
He couldn't wait for anything, neither big or small.
Most of all, Ivan wanted to fly high in the sky,
never be happy 'til he became a butterfly.
“I wanna fly high in the sky
'cause I wanna be a butterfly.
Can't wait til I'm older, I wanna fly now,
fly high in the sky and I don't care how!”
Ivan sang as he wiggled along.
He climbed up the apple tree,
climbing as high as you can see,
and saw something near the buzzing beehive,
glimmering, shimmering, as if it were alive,
a golden leaf - sheek, shiny and wide;
perfect for a magic carpet ride!
It darted under Ivan, stopping right there,
hovering, hovering - waiting in mid-air,
waiting for a caterpillar to hop on board.
Ivan hopped on and away they soared!
They flew up and they flew down,
in zigzags, spirals, and all around.
Flying so fast, Ivan hung on tight,
hugging the leaf with all of his might!
Then Ivan, he lost his grip.
Off the magic leaf, he did slip.
Down, down, he went, starting to fall.
That's not want he wanted - No, not at all!
Down, down, he went, past the beehive.
Down, down, he went, in a nose-dive.
Now, what do you think will catch his fall?
A sparrow, wheelbarrow, or anything at all?
Will he fall flat on his face,
splattering all over the place?
Or will he land, safe and sound,
softly, softly, on the ground?
Well, Ivan fell hard and he fell fast,
but landed softly, safe at last.
Up out of a buttercup, he did climb,
climbing, climbing up a slimy vine.
As Ivan slipped and slid along,
he saw a thing, skinny and long,
a thing with wings that fluttered and flew,
and Ivan that saw it was someone he knew!
He lifted a leg, just about to say “Hi!”
to his friend, Daring Darla the Dragonfly.
Then Ivan, he lost his grip,
Off the slimy vine, he did slip.
Down, down, he went, starting to fall.
That's not what he wanted - No, not at all!
Now, what do you think will catch his fall?
A chick-a-dee, a bumblebee, or anything at all?
Will he fall straight into the ground,
down so far he'll never be found?
Or will he plummet into Fish Pond,
sinking, sinking, deep down and beyond?
Or will something save him from this disasterous fall?
Will anything save him, anything at all?
You guessed right if you thought it might be
Darla the Dragonfly, fast and carefree.
“Oh. Hi, Ivan – what were you doing up there?”
Darla asked as they dashed through the air.
“Well, I wanna fly high in the sky
'cause I wanna be a butterfly."
Ivan did reply.
Ivan did reply.
"Can't wait til I'm older, I wanna fly now,
fly high in the sky and I don't care how!”
They flew up and they flew down,
in zigzags, spirals, and all around.
Flying so fast, Ivan hung on tight,
hugging Darla with all of his might.
Suddenly, Darla dove down fast.
Down, down, they went, having a blast!
But then something went terribly wrong –
the wind was blowing terribly strong!
Down, down, they went, in a nose dive.
Down, down, they went, towards the beehive.
Darla dashed out with just a minute to spare,
then noticed that Ivan was no longer there.
Bouncing off a cloud like a diving board,
diving, diving, Ivan spun and soared!
Just for a moment, Ivan started to smile –
he was finally flying, flying freestyle!
Down, down, he went, past the beehive.
Down, down, he went, in a nose-dive.
Ivan started to panic and move around!
His little legs climbed so he wouldn't go down.
His little legs climbed so he wouldn't go down.
Fish Pond was approaching very fast,
as Ivan plummeted at full blast!
He turned bright green and he started to yell,
“Oh, my! I don't really feel so well!
I'm really scared and I don't know why
I couldn't wait to be a butterfly!”
Ivan hit the water with a belly-flop,
hitting it so hard with a gigantic plop!”
Splishing and splashing, Ivan coughed and choked.
Climbing up on a lily pad, he was totally soaked!
Darla flew over, rubbing her head,
Huffing and puffing, her face bright red.
“Oh, Ivan, you're all wet! Are you okay?
I know you haven't had a very good day.
Oh, why do you need to fly right now,
fly without wings when you don't know how?”
Ivan cried and cried, tears streaming down his face,
soaked with water and tears all over the place.
“I've tried so hard, but all I do is fall,
I'm never good enough, so why try at all?
I give up – I don't even know why
I thought I could be a butterfly!”
Darla wiped away Ivan's tears, and with soft eyes and a gentle smile,
said all of the things Ivan needed to hear, at least once in a while.
“Oh, my dear Ivan! Why can't you see
that you're a butterfly, already?
Your butterfly wings are deep inside,
but they will soon grow big, bright, and wide.
Butterfly wings simply take time.
On the inside, dear, you're just fine!”
Beyond the lily pad, Ivan then did peer
and saw his own reflection, bright and clear.
Ivan smiled as he started to see,
His true inside, as clear as can be.
Now what do you think he saw inside?
His joy, sadness, fear, and pride?
If it had a shape, what do you think it might be?
A star, a cloud, or a wave in the sea?
Even though a caterpillar, Ivan appeared to be,
Inside, he was a butterfly, as he could now see.
“I am happy, happy finally!
I am a butterfly already.
I don't have to fly to be alright,
'cause I'm a butterfly, bold and bright!”
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Angela Dawn MacKay
www.knottedwordscelticart.com, Twitter: @AngelaDMac, www.angelamackay.com