House of Ants
Living walls composed of tiny living building blocks
Pinchers, claws, legs, holding on, gripping, intertwined
Compelled to embrace each other in this crawly house
Scratching on hardened shells, always adjusting, tightening
Ever responding to the constant hum deep within
Awaiting the call to aid the foraging column
The mighty stomach growls and workers spill out in raids
Blinded by design, they have no choice but to follow
the trail laid down before them, to stray is to be exposed
They ravage the frontier, surpassing all by shear numbers
Dragging back strange trophies for the greater good of all
Though Mother Nature's own, they leave her environment sterile
And the sovereign soldiers lean to the sky, expectant
Guarding the queen's highway of dutiful progress
So monstrous their jaws that the workers must feed them
But wary are the workers for they know their guardians
Blind unbiased vises that will seize friend or foe
Once triggered, they slam shut never to release their prey
And deep within toils the creative bureaucrat
Or so think the loyal workers who greet their new brothers
She pestles their trophies into ever more mouths to feed
Her eyes on the future, but blind to the present
Commanding the make-up of her workers, but not their minds
She perpetuates a brood of millions with the love of none
Inspiration:
Discovery Channel TV Special – “Killer Ants”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers song “Essayons”
Proverbs 6:6-8 (KJV)
“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise which having no guide,
overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the
harvest.”
Copyright © Slight Buckling | Year Posted 2009
Post Comments
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.
Please
Login
to post a comment