Autumn Butterfly
by some trick of fate you
are born late into a chill
and unforgiving air
with wings made
for soft summer breezes
and gentle warming sunshine
the frozen winds shred
rain drops like bombs
and food is scarce
the ground is hardening
your precious life is
already short
what chance do you have
born into a cruel season
an indifferent world
through no fault of your own
are born late into a chill
and unforgiving air
with wings made
for soft summer breezes
and gentle warming sunshine
the frozen winds shred
rain drops like bombs
and food is scarce
the ground is hardening
your precious life is
already short
what chance do you have
born into a cruel season
an indifferent world
through no fault of your own
This poem is copyright (©) Melinda Szymanik 2026
About the Writer
Melinda Szymanik
Melinda is an award-winning New Zealand author of picture books, short stories and novels for children and young adults. Notable titles include The Were-Nana (Scholastic, 2008) winner of Children’s Choice at the 2009 NZ Post Children’s Book Awards, A Winter’s Day in 1939 (Scholastic, 2013) winner of Librarian’s Choice at the 2014 LIANZA Awards, and Fuzzy Doodle (Scholastic, 2016) a 2017 White Raven selection. She also writes poetry for adults and children, and regularly teaches creative writing.
