Desert Ants Poem by Ulysses Cabinatan

One two three four five six…
I’m counting the ants
they are numbered more than a hundred

Coal black and very small
these creatures
busy
transferring food from a place
putting it inside a mound

running, crawling
going in and getting out from a small hole
and maybe some of them are complaining
it’s over five PM and they are still working

A busy life for ants
I was perplexed on how they can find food in this barren land
they are carrying a white round like substance
an ant version of the manna perhaps!

I tried getting one ant and placed it away from the group
two meters distance from the mound
Smart ant, it got its way back

so if there is a creature higher than the humans
maybe was also observing us, the way I’m observing these ants.