AMBUSH AT MANTISCOSM

AMBUSH AT MANTISCOSM

Morning clouds slink across San Francisco’s bay directly into
geologic upheavals without pausing.  Sliding up, cupping,
pushing off the peaks, their puffy thighs straddle in foreplay;
sky and earth petting slow and magical.  The act beautiful
a school of silvery fish is against the back drop of deep pacific blue;
thousands changing direction at the same time in flashes as one.

Riding down the lee over jagged edges that cannot cut as a mist
that envelopes trees and a solitary ant crawling on a near green
leaf in the damp surround; under the predatory gaze of something
deathly. 

The observer allows the scout passage through jthe leafy mountainside
by its observation post, perhaps because it's too tired to care or too small
a meal.

Nonetheless, Iridomyrmex purpureus crosses over veiny speed bumps
onto the ochre support structure then testing fate, pauses, antennae sweeping
dipping mandibles into sweet condensation before leaving.

The mantis cocks it's bulbous head with a robotic servo-like motion
Green black dotted lenses tune to motion felt not seen as its perch
leaf slowly bends under weight of a meal?

The brigade of meat ants over meat ant ropes ascending follows
their scouts signal.