The Monarch Butterfly Tribute to the King of Kings

Praising God for all the things He has done to us comes in many flavours. Majority does it in singing hymns and songs. Other people express it in dancing, dramas, declamations, and poems.  Others offer their unselfish services to help less fortunate people without expecting any form of reward in return. For as long as our activity  glorifies the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, no matter how small or big that maybe, it is worth doing it.

The author was inspired to write the following poem which narrates the life cycle of a well-known specie of butterfly found in North America. This butterfly is known in scientific nomenclature as Danaus plexippus and is popularly known as the monarch butterfly. Many consider this specie of butterfly as the most beautiful of all butterflies. What is remarkable and magnificent, however,  about this butterfly is its migration from North America( Canada and USA)  to Central America (Mexico) and the timeline of its migration. The migration to the south begins in the middle of fall and ends partly when it reaches its destination in the forests of Mexico in November and December where it hibernates until March of the following year. Migration cycle ends when this butterfly goes back north again in spring and summer. It takes four generations of this butterfly to complete the migration process.

It is the author’s wish that the existence of this lowly creature project the greatness of God in our life as Christians by being thankful always no matter what circumstances we are in.

 

A TRIBUTE TO THE KING OF KINGS

Long time ago I had a wonderful dream,
That, I, a concept would become a king;
With pomp and power I will rule and reign,
And conquer worlds no one can attain.

But how could that wish be called as true,
When my size is such a miniscule to show;
I’m only a dot amongst words that flow,
In a sentence grammar that everybody knew.

Two months ago, my mother laid me
On a milkweed leaf in nearby meadow;
She left me there and the last thing I knew,
I heard nothing about where she did go.

Four days I stayed on a milkweed bed,
No one to comfort but winds on my head;
I heard bees buzzing and birds singing instead,
That made my days happy to move on ahead.

Suddenly, my shell loosened and set me free,
To smell the fresh air and blue sky to see;
I looked at myself and lo I almost flee,
I saw an ugly worm in a crawling spree.

I started to move up and move down and crawl,
But found no place better than the milkweed stall;
I munched the leaf where I have boarded on,
So I could travel a distance and get a boon.

Fourteen days I did the munching routine,
Eating milkweed leaves I have reached within;
Five times I moulted to make fat from thin,
Until my body ceased and did no more din.

I found a stem where I could hang
Myself to hide the form I’ve spurn;
Fourteen days in cocoon I firmly have clung,
Until my eyes saw nothing I left behind.

Slowly but surely I moved out my space,
With force of gravity I descended my place;
I escaped completely from the darkness maze,
With new form and colour that made me so dazed.

Hurriedly, I shed off my shelter’s last cover,
And saw my wings bright yellow and black on the air;
I flapped them fast and firmly in a tandem pair,
That tossed me above trees the forests bear.

On blue sky I flew and soared up high,
A dream came true that quizzed my mind;
I saw a rainbow shone the eastern sky,
Confirming I’m king, a monarch sublime.

Yes, I am a monarch, the king butterfly,
Whose majestic beauty no mortal can vie,
I was created by the Maker of Time,
Who knows me fully, a weakling as a fly.

I look beautiful in bright black and yellow,
But my life is just a bubble without tomorrow;
I am a prey of birds and spiders and winter snow,
To be cast to nothingness six feet below.

I will stay in this world for eight months more,
To fly back south to forests in Mexico’s shore,
There I will sleep in three months or four,
Then find a partner with offspring to nurture.

Yes, I am a monarch, a king with pomp and honour,
But they are not mine, only for me to store,
For the King of kings, Lord of lords and Saviour,
Who gave His life for humans to live forevermore.

To the King of kings, to the Lord of all,
I pay my tribute in words and praises I extol,
I thank Him each moment and to Him I’m grateful,
For the life He gave me, though ‘tis brief and small.