Moth (A Picture and a Poem)

Moth

We see you resting, wings unfurled

Upon the window of our world

A moth, who flutters free, aloft

All painted gold and ginger, soft.

Your life is brief and ours is long

And you are weak while we are strong

But beauty: fleeting, fragile, small

Is loved by God, who made it all.

Thanks be to Jesus, Savior King

Who cares about the littlest thing:

This little moth, those little seeds

A little child with many needs

A little earth among the stars

A little problem that is ours

Our little lives, our little world

Here may we rest, with hearts unfurled.

I teach in a private Christian school three days a week.  The other day, as my middle school students and I walked quietly down the hallway, one of them noticed this moth on the outside of the window.  We stopped to observe, then went out for a closer look.  (Just being mindful in the moment!)

We had just been talking about poetry, and they know I especially like to write about nature, so they joked that I must write a poem about the moth.  Our principal, passing by, suggested that they write the poem for English class, but the only description they offered was that the moth was the color of bacon.  I happen to think ginger is a bit more poetic.  Yesterday, as we discussed this again, I told them I would still write a poem.  We were already talking about pre-writing: choosing a topic, a genre, a purpose, an audience.  Topic: the moth, of course!  Format: poem, which I had predicted would be free verse but ended up with rhyme and meter, specifically iambic tetrameter. Purpose: inspiration.  Audience: these 11 students, and whoever else wants to read it on my blog.  That would be you.  Thanks for showing up.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, here's the moth from the underside, with his legs and fat body.  Quite the little beauty, don't you think?

Virginia Knowles

www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com