Story of Alates
Alates, winged, flying termites
or flying ants, harmless to others,
leave the safety
of their underground colonies
after a prolonged rainy-day
in the tropical terrains.
Sensing appropriate conditions
in surrounding environment of
warm temperatures, low winds
in an exodus, suddenly, synchronized,
out of so many holes in the earth
to settle in newer ones.
Alates shed their wings and crawl
as wingless bodies
after a frantic swarm
get attracted by bright lights
to utilize the heat of lights
to dry themselves from the moisture
Some females, potential future queens
majority males, disperse for a nuptial flight,
often over the course of only a single day
the males dying in abundance to reach females
and the mated females disperse
in attempts to establish a new colony each.
While alates are busy doing their acts
the blue jays, the crows, the pigeons, the sparrows
the lizards, the squirrels are all in glee
busy gorging on the hapless alates
lucky to be mightier and stronger.
A sight that reminds me of
another act of sacrifice, among many
scripted by nature
so that another can live now
and a progeny can be born again!
Date write:22.7.2014
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