Little Poets, Big Inspiration: Butterfly Ode Lands at Webster Arboretum

Imagine strolling through the Webster Arboretum this summer. As you admire the lovely blooms, you might just find yourself in the company of a butterfly, fluttering like a whimsical dancer from one colorful blossom to the next.

These very graceful creatures inspired a bit of poetic magic! Last year, when they were Webster CSD preschoolers, five bright students penned a sweet ode, "If I Were a Butterfly," and now their charming words have taken flight to grace the grounds of the arboretum. It's just one of the many delightful verses that have found a home on the arboretum's Poetry Trail.

On May 19, the Schlegel Road property buzzed with a little celebration. Folks enjoyed tasty snacks, wandered the trail, and were treated to a heartwarming reading of "If I Were a Butterfly" by its now-kindergarten authors: Charlie Grace, Luca, CJ, Irina, and Nolan.

It was a lovely reading, but if you missed it, you can read the poem below or stop by the Webster Arboretum to read it and its literary companions along the trails, surrounded by nature's beauty!

If I Were a Butterfly

By Charlie, CJ, Nolan, Rina, and Luca

If I were a butterfly I would have colored wings
To help me fly,
And I would land on a flower
Or eat sweet fruits
Like strawberries, cantaloupe, and watermelon.

If I were a butterfly I would be a vegetarian
Like my sister, who doesn’t even like meat.

If I were a butterfly,
I would land on a person wearing bright clothes
And tickle their nose and lips.

I wouldn’t make any noise.
I would just fly by.