I am watching an army of ants <br />pick apart the crust of my bread <br />(which is fine, because I was done eating, <br />and there wasn't enough butter on the crust anyway) , <br />and I silently take a sip of my tea, <br />hoping not to disturb my guests <br />during this generous lunch party. <br /> <br />After all, I'm kind of a divine overseer by now. <br />I give the gift of bready life, <br />then I sit on my wicker chair and observe, <br />feet off of the ground <br />so that I am no longer a part of their world. <br /> <br />But it's not really a wicker chair. <br />It's actually a golden throne. <br />A throne for the God of the Ants. <br /> <br />As God of the Ants, <br />my patient morning of ant-watching pays off: <br />A small blue-and-yellow salamander slithers up, <br />stripes running down his spine, <br />stomping over my lunch party. <br /> <br />Now, it's not every day of divine observation <br />that you get this colorful reptilian treat. <br />So I must admit <br />when that mischievous little slitherhead smiled up at me, <br />he pulled an intervening gasp <br />from my almost-divine lips. <br /> <br />The disturbed guests at my party <br />all look up from their munching and marching, <br />turning a confused antennae at the nearby wicker chair, <br />suddenly noticing the surprised boy sitting on top. <br /> <br />The salamander, meanwhile, <br />escapes through the wide-eyed army <br />laughing. <br /> <br />Uncovered, I turn my head to the sky, <br />where I always supposed my overseer sat <br />on his wicker chair, tossing out unwanted bread crust, <br />and I think: Good job, man - <br />You must have seen some crazy shit in your time - <br />Some super-sized salamanders, I think - <br />to hold your breath through it all. <br />No flinching, no spotlight. <br /> <br />I, meanwhile, <br />am blushing in the spotlight of a thousand antennae. <br />I pick up my crust, and shoo out my guests. <br />Party's over, folks. <br />Get off my porch.<br /><br />Chris Wrzesien<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/god-of-the-ants/
