Take the cosmic view: insect colonies
Are more humane than proud humanity.
Social hymenoptera—those wasps, bees,
Ants—get along more peacefully than we.
Their legendary harmony provokes
Probes, queries morality—how are we
Evolution’s grandest feat? By what strokes
Of ego-driven logic do we see
Me, always me, central on a planet
We (enthusiastically) ravage
And offend? With hearts (gray, icy granite),
Greed-stiffened, pulsing god-decreed savage
Blood-rage, we’ll finally succeed, and leave
Burned Earth to those same wasps, and ants, and bees.
(3/21/09)