We were cracking acorns to feed to the ducks
when she started back in terror.
"What's wrong?" I asked but she didn't reply
petrified by some horror.
Then slowly she pointed at the debris
and I noticed something move -
a couple of baby earwigs maybe
but not such as I could prove.
She's only three so I tried to explain
there was nothing to be afraid of.
"I know you're really a brave little girl
so show them what you're made of".
She relaxed and we resumed our work
but then it happened again.
The chair screeched as she pushed it back
with a little gasp like pain.
And there was the thing of nightmares
threatening with a wiggle.
I know I shouldn't have seemed unkind
but I couldn't suppress a giggle.
It was really quite a cute little maggot
looking so white and clean.
What was there to be afraid of
or was I being too mean?
I picked it up very carefully
so as not to harm it.
"I'll bet it's more scared than you are" I said
"and I don't want to alarm it".
I put it among the broken debris.
"Perhaps we've got enough.
There's no need now to do any more.
Let's go feed the ducks".
She soon cheered up and hopefully
erased the scene from memory
and as she grows will come to give
some empathy to all that live.
