The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

The Black Swallowtails

A summer breeze, a sunny sky;
a swallowtail glides gently by.
She swoops and loops and looks around
to find a safe place near the ground.

She spots some parsley in the sun;
she’ll lay her eggs there, one by one.
Tucked under leaves or buds they peek
where they’ll develop for a week.

Each teensy egg pops open wide,
revealing what has been inside:
A caterpillar, mostly black,
a pale white belt around its back.

It starts off small with just one chore:
To eat and eat and eat some more.
As it grows it sheds its skin;
new colors, stripes, and dots begin.

When it can’t squeeze in one more bite
it’s time to find a hidden site.
It curves into a gentle bend;
a thread of silk laced at each end.

In minutes it’s completely changed;
the caterpillar’s rearranged!
Inside the chrysalis, its case,
amazing shifts are taking place.

Then, in another week or two,
the final transformation’s through.
The case splits open to unveil
a fully formed Black Swallowtail!

The butterfly appears. But wait -
its crinkly wings are not yet straight.
A short time later it can soar;
the cycle to repeat once more.

About the Writer


Carrie Maslen

For over 30 years, Carrie's professional responsibilities included technical and commercial writing at Samsung, SAP, and Hewlett Packard. As a mechanical engineering graduate, she's long been a STEM advocate; and hopes to nurture the love of nature and reading in children through her writing.