Caterpillar Care

This page will become a space for me to offer the educational support I feel I can provide as a teacher with a broad perspective. I want to create a place where I can continue to engage in my passion for teaching beyond the classroom walls thanks to developments in communicative technology. As an educator with a passion for the humanities and arts, I have ideas that others may find helpful and so I created a space to share them. Perhaps this page can grow to become a portal for educators who wish to share ideas. I am commited to keeping this site universally available and free. The idea that required me to develop this conceptual space is one that was inspired by hearing a retelling of the story of The White Rose resistance alliance's brave effort to peacefully resist the misinformation campaign of the National Socialist's, the Nazis during wwii. It's pretty clear to anyone wandering here that I am besotted with butterflies, so I imagined a wild and beautiful protest to inspire minds to change, executed by the children of the world. There is a heaviness and a sense of urgency that I feel intensely these days and I know that I am not alone. The children have significant needs that we consistently fail to meet. Our schools have become anxious pools of bitterness and contention and this denies too many an adequate, safe learning experience. It is my belief that the children need to become properly engaged as active agents in the recovery of the world. They have skills and special abilities that could be put to much better use. It's important for educators to elevate the students' sense of purpose through active engagement in humanistic social projects. I like to think of the butterfly as a symbol of the human soul's ability to transform. The dream is that a child's dream to live is enough to inspire adults to make sure that their dreams become something real.

When Butterflies Fall

When butterflies fall

something's not right

We only should see

These wild beauties in flight.

Butterflies falling

during the day

through the night

The butterflies falling

tell us:

something's not right.

When butterflies fall

can we still hope to ignite?

Could a falling butterfly

Inspire love to take flight

In the heart of a soldier

battling through their

darkest night?

Could a child's paper butterfly

Simply tell them how to do something right?

~~~~~

extended version:

“When Butterflies Fall”

When butterflies fall

Something’s not right

They should be feeding on flowers

Or witnessed in flight

When butterflies fall

Something is wrong;

Someone should show this

In the lines of a song,

but for now, it's just important

to share the big dream.

Assemble the children

and tell them to do as we say

Tell them they are important

In more than the usual way.

Tell them that their love is the answer

to everyone's prayers today.

Tell them they can end war

If they believe in a better way.

Then tell them:

Make a butterfly

Sign a child’s name

Send it to the defenders

Without any shame

Let them collect

An abundance of Wings

Standing in for all of your hopes and dreams

And urge them to send to the skies

Your prized butterflies

To be dropped onto battlefields

As your soft-winged words, wise.

And maybe there will be some reply

Or maybe they’ll all STOP

And wonder why

Your butterfly screams and cries

Maybe they’ll hold your butterfly in their hand

Maybe suddenly they’ll understand

Every war is one man’s scam

Every soldier is stuck in the jam

Every child loses

From one fool who abuses

Humanity in his selfish bold sham

A butterfly egg is laid on a leaf

The tiny creature hatches

And ventures out for relief

For a hunger so strong

The caterpillar can’t be satisfied

With food without song

It chews and it listens

For so long

Life has begun

In a spell cast by the sun

Magical organisms

Seek food and some fun

The caterpillar crawls

And devours while it treads

Many tiny feet cover many

Courses in wooden sheds

If it is lucky

If it survives being spied upon

It finds a new leaf and soon

It’s life hangs on- suspended-

On the leaf, and the creature transforms

Creating their case

To preserve all the tasks they perform-

To define their own grace

And there-in the pause

Becomes a new cause

Freed from the jaws

Made for Chomping

And repurposing the tiny little legs

Made for tromping

Beauty develops

According to laws

That Nature created

To make clear the creed

Change is essential

It’s what we all need.

Look, see the butterfly

Emerge from its hard,

Translucent case

It looks nothing at all

Like its former shape

It has become something beautiful to witness

Because changing our minds is how to own fitness

The world man created for himself to rule

Does not align with what our senses reveal

Therefore the laws of man that disregard nature

Are not as valid aa the ones that show we are real

But I know- it’s just fun to join in and chant

Humans don’t realize it’s their nature to rant

So they’ll start up a big chant

Some will swing nets at me

Because I’m the butterfly

No one can see.

At least not today…

Maybe someday

I too will be free

I guess it depends upon

What becomes of

Our tender Liberty

When butterflies fall

Something’s not right

Would a Soldier stall

Would he gain some insight

If a butterfly landed on their helmet or hand

A small butterfly signed by a small child’s hand

Would they stop killing

Would they cease their frozen-heart’s fire

Would they suddenly understand

Humans still can aspire

To create a world where the children are free

To run, laugh and play

because no war

Ruins everyone’s day

Peace comes when we cease

The stupid games that we play

What are we all fighting for?

War is never won.

War can never pretend

It has its own justice

Its own venerable end

War is man’s beast,

no one’s best friend

Could a butterfly falling

Appeal to a worn soldier’s heart

Could the heart override the mind

And turn from what’s been assigned

Could a paper butterfly

Make someone see

Something they’ve never seen,

Something so foreign

They can’t comprehend

Seeing the simple beautiful truth

Crafted by a child’s hand

Drifting to be caught in their own

In a distant foreign land.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When butterflies fall

Something’s not right

We should see them feeding on flowers

or spy them dance in sunlight.

When butterflies fall

Something is wrong;

Maybe someone could turn

These words into a song.

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