Regarding "Ode to Ladybug"

I love ladybugs!
I always have! As a six
Years old boy, I
Would collect them
In a mayonnaise
Jar, with the lid
Punched with nail holes
To ensure they could
Breathe. I would
Raise the glass to my
Face, and I would
Study them as they
Crawled around inside
Over tiny bits of
Leaves. I would marvel
At how slow and
Peaceful they
Moved. Even today,
Whenever I
Encounter one
In my garden or on
My window sill,
I will pause and
Observe it.
A ladybug all
These decades
Later is still
To me as calming
As ever! In a
Phrenetic world,
A ladybug marches to
Its own refrain.

Leo Carroll
June 27, 2018