Ants

The extraordinary little ant
with tunnels underground,
or linking up the many rooms
within a leafy mound.

Their heads are big with strong sharp jaws,
their waists are very tight;
and some can squirt an acid sting
to irritate their bite.

So many thousands scurrying ants,
– the workers always busy
about their jobs within the nest:
their Queen looks very lazy.

But she must lay the many eggs
the workers feed and tend.
They search for food, and clean the rooms,
enlarge the nest, defend.

Their eyes are weak, but ‘feelers’ sense
the trail to food to eat,
and help them little greenfly ‘farm’
for ‘honeydew’ so sweet.

And some live up in trees, and nests
of leaves, with skill they sew;
while most live complicated lives
in ‘cities’ down below.