By Nettie Farris

epitome
of a mother's
bad dream
they eat
morning

noon
and night
devastating
the wild
cherry

black cherry
apple and
ornamental
crabapple
soft

furry
bodies
silky tents
cocoons
promote

them to a child's
best friend
those sixteen
little legs
(that miracle

of metamorphosis)
eventually
turning
into six long
seductive ones