By Ava Casab (’23)

 

What was once a peaceful place is no more,

Conquered by something indescribable. 

It builds shelter from little but wood and straw,

And hunts the creatures roaming the earth. 

 

It seeks not only to collect others to serve it,

But to bring down those they dislike,

Sometimes with words

And sometimes with swords. 

 

Speaking in a strange tongue,

They do not always understand

What another is saying to them,

Deciding to assume the worst.

 

It hurts some,

Loves others,

But never quite realizes its impact

On every one of its kind it meets. 

 

It wants to be comfortable,

And so it makes its dreams a reality,

While we sit in the background

And watch as it basks in the glory of ignorance.

 

It calls itself a human being,

Says it is doing its best,

But it cannot do everything

For it is only one person of billions. 

 

The thing that has destroyed

What this place used to be 

Now wishes to change

And create instead.

 

Like a caterpillar and a butterfly,

It has come and it will go,

But not before it will emerge from its cocoon of comfort

Into the outside world.