Ants

     I can see you moving
     you cannot escape me.
     my eyes are the product of 6 million years of evolution
     they are trained to spot movement
     movement of even tiny objects
     especially of tiny objects
     if you didn't move I wouldn't see you against the dark grains of the countertop
     but that is your weakness, and I crush you with my finger
     squish, you are dead
     you cannot win this war
     i can kill you so easily
     first my pinky, then my index finger. how about a thumb?
     you are dead

     but you keep coming.
     there are more of you
     your incessancy is larger than my thumb
     two calls to the exterminator and still you are here
     extract of Kenyan chrysanthemum and still you are here
     dragnet, phantom, PI and even the deadly Cycic and still you are here.
     and still you are here.

     you expose my sins
     you find my every failing
     you are my conscious and my court
     I can hide nothing from you. I stand naked in front of you.
     I left a flower on my countertop and you found it
     I was wrong to do that. I admit it. I apologize.
     It was only for a few hours. my daughter picked it.
     i thought it was nice. i thought this small trifle was ok.
     i thought we deserved it.
     but it was wrong. a vanity. a failing.
     you forgive not. you are unflinching.
     you are unmerciful.

     I cannot be perfect.
     I cannot clean my house of every item you might want to eat
     you eat anything.
     you are an Argentine ant.
     i hate you