Getting my wings right

The first thirty were practice
getting my wings right
finding my stance

do you know the story of the butterfly?
who was once a caterpillar
the mama wandered along
saw the aging cocoon
and worried

"ooh this is much too late for my boy"
all the other young larvae
have emerged from their cocoons
they are
walking
talking
flapping
flying
applying to colleges
and joining large prestigious firms

but my boy struggles away in his little cocoon
so weak
so slow

I'll just nudge him along
poke a hole
show him the way


That caterpillar never did learn to fly
mama forgot
it is the struggle
that gives us our wings