In a land far away,
Where the creatures play,
Lived a critter so small,
In a burrow he called his hall.

He was nocturnal, you see,
Only active when it's dark and free,
And with his sense of sight and smell,
He navigated his burrow quite well.

But one day, to his dismay,
He was taken from his home and made to stay,
In captivity, with walls so high,
He could no longer see the sky.

He longed to molt, to shed his skin,
But in his cage, he couldn't begin,
And his gland of venom, now useless too,
As he had nothing to defend himself from, it's true.

He couldn't move, he couldn't fly,
As if his appendages were meant to die,
The paralysis of his life was clear,
And it brought him nothing but fear.

So let this be a lesson to all,
To let creatures be free and not to install,
A life of captivity and despair,
For every living being deserves fresh air.

Reflections

1. What is the name of the small critter in the story, and where did it live before it was taken into captivity?
2. How did the critter use its senses to navigate its burrow, and what happened to those senses when it was put into captivity?
3. What is the meaning of the phrase "appendages were meant to die" in the poem?
4. Why do you think it's important to let living creatures be free, and how can we make sure we are treating animals with respect and kindness?
5. What other creatures do you know that might be at risk of being captured or harmed by humans, and what can we do to help protect them?