On Borrowing Shoes

Nobody loves caterpillars, except children and teachers of young children. Caterpillars, to a gardener, are creepy crawly and they demolish leaves at ninety miles an hour. But – do they wear shoes?

ON BORROWING SHOES

my caterpillar friends
keep their shoes lined                      
up on fallen tree trunks

the milkweed prefer
lime-green loafers
while the speckled wood
wear pink sandals
that don’t have to be shined
every second day

I’ve seen tent caterpillars
hide black dress shoes
in corrugated cabinets
behind school walls                         
where teens stub out
reefers at recess

I try to leave the shoes
alone        don’t borrow
them for a night or two
it’s a temptation when
the colours are perfect
for the opera or a date
with a five-star general

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The Willow Tree Girl “… perfect for children in the 7-11-year-old bracket who love to read. …The characters are life-like and the plot intriguing …” Elizabeth Symon. Find it at Smashwords