Scattering

an army of ants built this hill

moved the earth and cut the door

created arteries in the copper sand

with single-minded acquiescence

 

and with one well placed footstep

I have laid waste to their divine colony

dethroned a deific queen-mother

diffusing her daughters like sundried florets

 

but if I watch them long enough

the scattering will turn to unification

tiny bodies will erase the past and rebuild

a replica of their wrecked world

 

I yearn for this resolute resiliency

ache for the ability to focus on the eventual

discarding the molded husk of memory

that flowers like violet bruises across

                        the flesh of my consciousness

Reviews

[Jack...]

Amazing, just yesterday I was standing outside with a friend, he was talking and I was watching an ant trail on the concrete admiring their hard work and dedication, their ability to function as a single unit moving in both directions, performing their duties and I thought about their world. When my friend saw me looking down, he looked as well and then with one big foot, planted it in the middle of this factory of nature. It pretty much broke my heart as I watched them "scattering" frantically and wondered what they must be thinking. I smiled as I saw them eventually fall back in line and carry on as if nothing had happened. But it had, I know they were only ants, but I felt sorry for their fallen comrades. (I am weird like that) Why did I go off on a tangent like this, hell I don't know, your poem just told the same exact story in a much more beautiful way and I loved it.

[Cody Williams]

A delightful read! Thanks for sharing!

-CW

[Lydia Shutter]

Incredibly powerful metaphor here, Sarah. We can learn so much from watching nature rebuild. "tiny bodies will erase the past and rebuild a replica of their wrecked world" If only we could manage to do that after adversity changes the course of our lives. Wonderful write. Lydi**

[icelandicblue]

What a vivid metaphor of never accepting defeat. The drive to move on and rebuild can elude us at times as we pull the covers over our heads. Ants have no such luxury:

but if I watch them long enough
the scattering will turn to unification
tiny bodies will erase the past and rebuild
a replica of their wrecked world

We are resilient...we just need to believe it to make it so. This is a fine poem, direct and quite effective.

[Vyse Cross]

It's the feeling one gets, and the raw power emanating from which strength is derived.

[KAin]

Beautiful imagery!
Just something mundane like kicking over an anthill becomes an image of a titan laying waste to a civilization. And then it's rounded off nicely with that sensation of desire. It creates a curious analogue, though... God and man, man and insect - is it the desire for patience and resiliency or the power of industry which seems to be exemplified in a brief existence? I really enjoyed this one!

[Pryde Foltz]

Someone on here once gave me the stellar advice---wait.

Okay, now onto the poem. I loved, loved, loved this one. I am a fan of your work, but this one blew me away. A very simple but well and beautifully-developed metaphor delivered a can't be missed message. Yes, there is always a rebuild. Really a superb poem. I don't normally grade, but you are getting a 100. Brava.

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Thank you so much, Pryde...I'm so happy that you enjoyed this one, I wasn't sure about it at first :)