Between a Lion & a Worm

author's note:

"Red wigglers…the Cadillac of worms!”
            -- from the TV series WKRP in Cincinnati


BETWEEN A LION & A WORM

The phenomenon known
as shape shifting
is a common occurrence.
Consider:

I've seen lions become worms
and hide under stones
after accepting the lie told to them.
But that need not be a tragedy—
a big cat can benefit
from living subterranean

because as a worm
it can feed upon
the rich life to be found
in the loam below the surface.

But as that grubber expands
its safe space
will began to feel
suffocating.

The crawler must then decide:
will I die as a worm
or emerge

and live as a lion?

I predict:
when we look back
on our worm-life
we will reject all regrets

because then
we’ll be able to see
all we learned
in our life as a worm.

mythsteps · Between a Lion and a Worm

© 2024, Michael R. Patton
glorious tedious transformation: a poetry book