One of the assignments in my children's early elementary language arts education is memorizing the poem "The Caterpillar" by Christina Rossetti. For those of you who have no reason to know this little piece, allow me to fill that tiny gap:

Brown and furry
Caterpillar in a hurry,
Take your walk
To the shady leaf, or stalk,
Or what not,
Which may be the chosen spot.
No toad spy you,
Hovering bird of prey pass by you;
Spin and die,
To live again a butterfly.

My seven year old, the last and latest to learn this poem, was just dancing around wildly to the music I had playing. He stopped and came over to say, "I'm going to spin and die and live again like a butterfly." He started to dance again and then came to another sudden stop. "But first, I believe I'll take a walk to a shady leaf or stalk. Or what not. We'll see what my chosen spot is. But I sure hope that no toads see me. And I'm going to hide from that hovering bird of prey (he pointed up at the ceiling at this point). Then I'll go ahead and spin and die and fly away like a butterfly."

Seven has been a very, very good age with him.

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