caring [a poem]

In the depths of the river where it’s swampy and dark,
lived a friendly green caiman whose first name was Mark.

Mark had sharp teeth and big shining eyes,
and by the way that he smiled you could tell he was wise.

Mark could swim good, even at night,
he’d swim in the river, under moonlight.

And during the day, he’d bask in the sun,
but he’d do it alone because friends he had none.

Mark he was friendly but misunderstood,
his sharp teeth and spiked tail made him appear up to no good.

And so Mark was lonely and often he’d cry,
until one sweet day, arrived an orange butterfly.

Her name was Nic, short for Nicole,
and even though she was small she had a big soul.

She listened to Mark talk about his own feelings,
this was the start of his heartful healings.

At first it was hard to say them out loud,
he worried he’d cry like a dark stormy cloud.

And Mark he was right, the tears they did flow,
but as they did, his heart it did grow.

And as Nicole listened, she shed tears too,
because the feelings were feelings she also knew.

Mark was surprised that Nicole could relate,
he thought the life of a butterfly would surely be great.

He realized he’d judged her the way others judged him,
solely by appearance, not what was within.

And so the two bonded by talking and sharing,
and realized how nice it felt to be caring.