African Weaver, Asian Marauder,
Australian Sugar and Honeypotter;
Leaf Cutter, Carpenter, Formica and Soldier,
Harvester, Raider, and Fungus Grower.
Red, Black, Brown and Driver,
Army, Grease, Water and Fire!

Ants! Ants! ... their numbers are mounting,
Eighty-eight hundred species and counting.
Marching, crawling, swarming, driving;
Advancing, moving, humming, flying.
Alert, keen, wary and vigilant...
Incessant, ardent, assiduous and diligent!

Ants! Ants! ... they are everywhere!
Wherever you glance you see them there;
Overhead, underfoot,
In plain sight or blackened soot.
In the grass, along the fence,
Why, even my house is their residence!

Underground; in the trees...
Upon the sand by raging seas!
Colonies thrive with a unity of mind,
Ever loyal to their queen and all their kind.
Industrious, prolific, constantly moving;
Never resting, always producing.

Aggressive, combative, hostile, intrusive.
Relentless, unmerciful, vindictive and ruthless!
Cutting, chomping, packing, carrying
Crumbs or seeds or fallen carrion.
No earthly creature; not a man’s prayerful rant
Can deter or defeat the OMNIPITENT ant!

Not water, fire or pesticide
Will ever reverse the swelling ant tide!
For in due course we’ll ourselves destroy...
Then insuperable swarms will the Queens deploy...
Whereupon stinger, antenna, mandible and jaw
Will uphold on earth almighty Ant law!

Joseph I. Middlesworth
8/19