Tuesday, January 19, 2010

ADVICE FROM A CATERPILLAR

Chew your way into a new world.

Munch leaves. Molt. Rest. Molt

again. Self-reinvention is "everything." Spin many nests. Cultivate

stinging bristles. Don't get sentimental about your discarded skins.

Grow quickly. Develop a yen for nettles.

Alternate crumpling and climbing. Rely on your antennae. Sequester

poisons in your body for use at a later date.

When threatened, emit foul odors

in self-defense. Behave cryptically

to confuse predators: change colors, spit, or feign death. If all else

fails, taste terrible.

~Amy Gerstler


One great thing about a friend getting her MFA in poetry is all the gems she shares with me.

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