OPMS

Standing under the cerulean sky,
my eyes enraptured by the butterflies
perched on flowers
stalks in bloom

in hues of white, purple, and blue.
I held your hand as you
explained to me
the bright orange and black
caterpillar is a gulf fritillary
that will someday become
one of the butterflies surrounding us.
A microcosm of life before my eyes
I fell in love with nature
for the first time.
With a reason to pursue
an elusive dream
I became a child possessed
by the calling to read, to see,
to know
as you encouraged me to grow
in intellect, in spirit,
in character.
A metamorphosis that opened my mind
to not only the world beyond
the classroom walls
but also to the meaning
of a friend like you.
In that moment I knew
that this school
would always be like my home
the smell of old wood
the yellow brick building
the infinite expanse of green
fields and trees
the dappled brown coats
of rabbits and goats
frolicking nearby
as I explored on my own
familiar places
now mere traces
a memory that resonates
of where I came from
who I am
and the people that changed me.