Caterpillar squirming through masses of grass

dodging blackbirds and crows, 

predators and foes.

The winter has frozen the roots of such crops

its cold and its bitter.

This harsh winter fog

makes it hard to squirm through

but squirming and squirming is all you can do.

Its hard and its lonely

you persist through the struggle and the pain of the frost.

When finally its summer

the sun and the air erase all the struggles

of past winter pain.

The burden is lessened now that winter has gone

and the fresh summer elements 

have been your greatest gain.

No longer a caterpillar 

dragging through mud

Emerged has a butterfly so strong and proud. 

Through winter and summer you can brave through them all

but never forgotten is that first summer sun.