ANTS
Little pests! It's years
since you took over my house
quietly, over a crust of bread, over my heart.
You ate, you drank
you turned yellow from crawling
you sharpened your character
and feared neither the cross
nor the devil.
You made the epic journey
between the walls
from crevice to crevice
from light to dark -
how many of your own did you lose?
how many words did you swallow?
You never had enough of my poison
you got used to it
you went wilder
and you didn't wish for another home.
You can sting: the revolt of the small
and inexterminable
is full of formic acid
or green anger - God anger
that marks clearly
roads best forgotten!
I dare you: make a mistake
learn to be indifferent
get away from my pillow
leave me, move out
and wherever you go
remember: you are not wanted.
Translated by Ilija Casule and Thomas Shapcott
