Ant Parade

This weekend, I found a question by writer, Haruki Murakami, "I wonder what ants do on rainy days?” Well, I can poetically speak to that query. 

Alarmed by an ant parade that traveled from the rainy outdoors to my beautiful kitchen, I immediately called the bug control company. I already had one invasion a couple of months ago and was not keen on seeing another group of ants parading around my countertop and up and around my toaster and coffee maker. While waiting for the pest control tech, I thought about the medium-sized and minuscule ants who chose my house to take their weekday stroll. Perhaps, they were seeking refuge from the heavy rainfall or looking for food for their colony. At any rate, I just could not have the ants munching in my kitchen while making something to eat. After researching, I found Home and Gardens answered my question before the tech came for the service call. "Ants forage for food in spring and summer months, sending out search parties that scavenge for anything they can find." 

Ant Parade

Tiny ants are out today.

Their search party leads the way

Sloshing through the rain outside,

Looking for a place to hide.

I thought it quite a sight to see

Wiggling ants parading busily,

Marching to the leaders' steps,

balancing with no missteps.

But woe was me when the tech

Intervened to stop their trek.

When bait was laid in their path,

Ants were caught and full of wrath.

But wise as ants are supposed to be

They wiggled themselves to be free.

I watched them march through the wall

to their ultimate downfall

©CVarsalona, 2023

I was when fascinated by the ant parade happening. While watching the marching search party, I kept thinking about Jack Prelutsky's Skeleton Parade poem. The good news is that the pest control tech found the ant colony outside in my rose garden and treated the area. Now I can cook and bake in my kitchen in peace. 

With an original poem and a piece of digital art, I join Two Writing Teachers for the Tuesday Slice of Life.