Time & Land

By Miguel Santiago

Once upon a time, in a land far away,

There was a tree that swayed all day.

It stood tall, its branches stretched wide,

A sight to behold, a beauty to bide.

But hidden deeper, beneath the leaves,

Lived a caterpillar, striving to achieve.

It ate and ate, growing day by day,

And wished to be a butterfly someday.

The tree’s roots ran deep, spread far and wide,

And the caterpillar knew it had to hide.

For though the tree provided ample food,

The caterpillar knew it couldn’t stay for good.

So it built a cocoon, hard as a stone,

Where it could rest, and be alone,

There it stayed, through rain and shine,

As time passed by, and life entwined.

One day, the cocoon trembled and shook,

And out came a butterfly, colorful and rook.

It spread its wings, and took to the air,

As the tree watched with a wordless stare.

The butterfly flew free, in the bright blue sky,

A symbol of beauty, how time could fly,

It soared over trees, and mountains high,

And looked back at the tree with a grateful sigh.

For it had learned that in life’s endless race,

We must sometimes transform to find our place.

The tree stays rooted, its branches sway,

But change is the only constant, come what may.