Ant

Cherry

By Jane Hyphen

Sat, 19 May 2018
  • 1866 reads
9 comments
 

 

The sun is shining

Hot air builds

Heat haze hovers

And hoovers into holes

Heed the Hymenoptera

The ant is out

Out and about

And all its kith and kin

Too, are busy with complex

Anty stuff, long journeys

Ups and downs in neat lines

Exchanging information

Important secret stuff

Mighty gladiatorial strength

Teamwork enough to shame

Nordic co-workers on a

Naked sauna building

Corporate bonding exercise

The incredible, tiny ant

Fearless unwavering

Clever, organised

Yet so small, harmless

Compare man and ant

But still  - up and down

This sun drenched land

Man sprinkles ant powder

Cruel chemical warfare

Poison to stop them

In their tiny tracks

Lifespan up to thirty years

For the garden ant

Yes thirty - how cruel!

 

 

Certificate U
Poem

Comments

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

They are amazing creatures aren't they!

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thanks for the cherries. Viva ant!

 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Natural history poem. Fascinating. They are tenacious. I remember sitting on a toilet in a hotel somewhere watching them flowing sections of leaf and the odd insect around the wall like a moving dado. Thirty years? Blimey.

Parson Thru

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thanks Parson, they are fascinating, all these little worlds existing within our own.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Their industry and teamwork and busyness is inspirational. There are so many, they do have to be discouraged from taking over homes! Is it the queen who can probably live 30 years? Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

There are a lot, I agree, more than us apparently and they are as old as the dinosaurs. You're right Rhiannon, it's the queens that live for thirty, others for a few years or months. I rarely see them inside though, maybe a few. Some of my gardening clients are obsessed with killing them.

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thanks for your comment TJW. Funny isn't it how some humans take away the lives of other creatures without a thought. It's partly down to religion I think and the idea that man is the most important being on earth, I'm not so sure. Better to worship the actual earth and everything in it (tarantulas included) than a beard in the sky.

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Like your poem, Jane. Anthills are wonderful, full of life and movement.

This is straying off-topic - if you have time please read my fave poem on another small creature that us humans often treat with brutalilty. - Sang the Rat by David Harsent.

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thanks Elsie, I couldn't find that published on the web but will look into purchasing Firesongs so I can explore further. Looking at the themes of his work, it all sounds very interesting.