Roberta Writes – d’Verse: Art in Nature #poetry

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My poem is a little offsides, but this is what came in response to the d’Verse Art in Nature prompt. I love to write about animals but if you give me a picture of one and ask me to write, my mind always gallops off in a diverse direction. The pattern on the wings of this butterfly reminded me of many eyes in a board room …

Melissa is the host for this prompt, and you can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2025/01/07/art-in-nature/

The photograph below is provided by Michael from Art in Nature blog who I also follow.

Picture caption: Caterpillar with a pattern like many eyes

Caterpillars

I feel the heavy weight

Of disapproval

Or is it disappointment

From the many pairs of eyes

Turned towards me

As I stand in the doorway

Laptop bag over one shoulder

Recyclable water bottle

Loosely held

In the opposite hand

“Who are you?”

I sense the question

From these hungry caterpillars

All eyeing my pink flowery pants

Maybe they think I’ll shrink

Just like poor anxious Alice

But unlike Lewis Carrol’s Alice

And her modern counterpart

The unfortunate Briget Jones

I know exactly who I am

A strong and independent woman

With over twenty years of experience

I shake back my shoulder length blonde hair

Sliding into the closest empty chair

I face down the other advisors

“We were just discussing the deal structure,”

Says Caterpillar Number One

A smug look on his soft, well-fed face

“Do you have any comments?”

“In fact, I do,” I take the opportunity

“The deal structure you’ve proposed

Will result in the following outcome

From a financial reporting point of view.”

I briefly explain into the grim silence

“Is that what you wanted?” I ask

The stiff phallic shaped caterpillar droops

“The structure is not final,” huffs out

Mixing with the other bags of wind

Circulating the testosterone heavy room

The meeting ends

I make a swift escape

The following morning

My email reveals

A revised deal structure proposal

It’s my turn to be smug

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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

Published

130 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – d’Verse: Art in Nature #poetry”

  7. Good for you, Robbie! Applause and you have a right to feel smug.

    And I laughed at the wilting caterpillar-phallus–not what you usually write. 😉

    Personally, I prefer poems that do not describe an image, so I like that you went off this way.

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  10. Brilliant use of the photo, Robbie!

    And give me a self-confident woman in flowered pink pants who can show those caterpillars just what a butterfly can do!

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  11. I love this, Robbie. Diverse is what d’Verse is all about!! It is a great take on the butterfly. Sounds like you have faced this situation at some point! Good for your!

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    1. Hi Kerfe, my confidence has grown significantly over the past 10 years. I am also very good at what I do so I know exactly how to get to what is needed and will be accepted and understood by the stock exchanges and the investors. It is rather sad that women still have to suffer misogyny in the workplace in our current day and age. My issues are frequently with international advisors and not the local ones.

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      1. I do think some progress has been made, but there are still different expectations for women, and you need to be able to fight them. Being good at what you do is almost never enough.

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  24. Love the approach you took with the photo, the humour, the dialogue and the visuals of various boardroom caterpillars. Most of all I admire your strength in this type of scenario. Bravo!

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      1. Haha we all need somewhere to escape too and if it’s a wonderland then we are lucky… as for the rest I agree it gets tiring one of the reasons I retired early.. Fed up with the rat race… xx

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  27. I’m glad you went ‘a little offsides’, Robbie; your poem cheered me up this morning. I love the oxymoronic ‘caterpillars… heavy weight’, the gentle humour, making fun of the situation, and the allusion to Alice in Wonderland. I wish I had that kind of confidence!

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  28. You took an unexpected direction from the butterfly photo 🙂 And sounds like you gave an unexpected answer to the guys in the meeting room. I’m glad the huffing caterpillars changed their tune after your presentation 🌞

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    1. HI Dave, sadly, this is a repetitive situation in my life. Advisors, especially international advisors, have little regard for women especially African women. And yet, they know very little about our law and regulations and I know it all backwards. In fact, I wrote quite a lot of it.

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  29. #3 comment attempt.
    (Clicking from Mr. Linky seems to have a glitch)
    👏🏽 this is fantastic Robbie. A formidable way to start the year. Beautiful poetry seeped in reality. Thanks.

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      1. I can imagine how hard this is and know you’ve gotten better at it with practice. Still, I hope there will come a day when you don’t have to deal with them anymore. I’m sure a sense of humor helps.

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