Butterfly Garden

Kelsey Phillips

When I was little I had a butterfly garden.

I’d watch the caterpillar grow,

evolving into what I was waiting for.

 

The cocoon would shed and the butterfly

would soar across the

small netted cage.

 

I never questioned if the butterflies

wanted to be somewhere else.

It didn’t cross my mind that butterflies

aren’t meant for a cage.

 

Now I don’t have a garden but

I know I could fill a whole conservatory

with all the butterflies I have caught

for you.

 

I was never asked if I wanted them,

so I kept them buried behind my

throat, screaming to be let out.

 

It didn’t cross my mind that butterflies

are not meant for a cage.