Wriggle
It creeps upon the leaf
Tinny furry creature
eat at peace

Then appears a second
A third
to crunch and munch
Soon a hoard of creepers
Making leaves contented lunch

Once a glowing beauty
Stripped
of gilded filigree

Weaving wreathing nests
Across a naked frame
Living drips
Her ravaged beauty
Proclaim

Waiting through the darkness
Chrysalis
of change
Until upon her skeleton
wings they all display

Watch
the bared darling
Don a gown of brown
Trimmed
with greying fur
Moths become her crown

©2021 Mary Grace van der Kroef