A little cute bug was hopping
on the grass
I tried to catch him,
but he was too fast
I made up a trick to get him
on the brick
But he saw through my trick and wouldn’t go on the brick
I sobbed and cried, and could
not sleep that night
But the next day I found a way
to catch the bug in a mug
It worked well, but it’s my feeling
I can’t tell
I let him go, he’s not a foe
Just like me, he’s free.
—Elizabeth Steindl
Elizabeth Steindl is a ten-year old from Connecticut who says she loves nature, animals, and bugs and wishes everyone in the world felt the same way. She wants to be a scientist and study nature. This poem won first place in a local poetry contest, inspiring an Animals Voice Magazine reader who, impressed with Elizabeth’s ability to see the bug’s point of view, brought her and her poem to our attention.
Elizabeth told The Animals Voice Magazine she wrote this poem because, “I am curious about all kinds of bugs. I like to catch them, watch them, and let them go. I think bugs have their own feelings and you do not want to hurt them just because they are smaller and different than you are. I want people to explore the outdoor world around us and take care of those little creatures.”
