On Becoming a Butterfly
Little did I know,
the end was just the beginning
Like the caterpillar,
I shed my old skin as if I was supposed to die.
Reduced to a puddle of muck,
I fought hard to get out of the cocoon.
Had someone intervened to help me escape,
I would have died.
I learned like the caterpillar,
that my struggle had to be vigorous yet patient.
Transformed into a brightly colored butterfly,
I fly along the robins of spring.
Like the butterfly, I’ve endured pain and loss,
to become a better person.
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Michael is recovering from a suicide attempt from ten years ago. Part of his story is reflected in his piece, A Patient Reads His Psychiatrist in Mad in America, June 30, 2023.
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