Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, GAINING WINGS, by EDNA DEAN PROCTOR


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

GAINING WINGS, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: A twig where clung two soft cocoons
Last Line: That free the folded wings!
Alternate Author Name(s): Dean
Subject(s): Cocoons; Death - Animals; Moths


A TWIG where clung two soft cocoons
I broke from a wayside spray,
And carried home to a quiet desk
Where, long forgot, it lay.

One morn I chanced to lift the lid,
And lo! as light as air,
A moth flew up on downy wings
And settled above my chair!

A dainty, beautiful thing it was,
Orange and silvery gray
And I marvelled how from the withered bough
Such fairy stole away.

Had the other flown? I turned to see,
And found it striving still
To free itself from the swathing floss
And rove the air at will.

'Poor little prisoned waif,' I said,
'You shall not struggle more';
And tenderly I cut the threads,
And watched to see it soar.

Alas! a feeble chrysalis
It dropped from its silken bed;
My help had been the direst harm —
The pretty moth was dead!

I should have left it there to gain
The strength that struggle brings:
'Tis stress and strain, with moth or man,
That free the folded wings!





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net