A Little Butterfly

I found a pretty, little butterfly

Trapped in my living room, one day.

It flapped its wings against the window,

Tirelessly – hopelessly –

Fighting hard to reach the outside world:

The sky, the wind, the sunlight gleam.

“Don’t worry, little thing,” said I.

“I’ll set you free, you’ll see.”

I opened the window to let it fly away

To freedom and – OH! –

It flew straight into a spider’s web

And ended in the spinner’s mouth!

I felt so sorry and began to sob,

“I thought I was doing good…”

But you were, said a still, small voice.

To the starving spider.