The Cocoon of Pain

If I were to look at All my past life My painful frightful beginnings All the mistakes All the tragedies All the things I should have prevented Those that could not have been helped If I look at it all As only a beginning... As it was Only a cocoon that I went into... And I worked myself Back out of it Through all the suffering and tragedy I grew stronger and stronger And when the proper time came When I was sufficiently strong enough I would break through all that I was To become all that I could be To emerge the new... The transformed... But do I become the beautiful butterfly Sucking sweet nectar And bringing joy to all who see me Or will I emerge the moth Not quite so beautiful And feeding off of clothing A nuisance to society And drawn to things that will kill it Like flames and bug zappers No, it is certain I will no longer crawl around small and helpless Like a caterpillar But instead I will fly high and free But will my tragedy Have turned me beautiful Like the butterfly Or will I still be drawn Like the moth Or like the dog to its own vomit To that which will continue to destroy and kill me