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.