[stylist] Poem - "Beetle" - Final Draft

[William L Houts]

Hey Blihnks,

This isn't a recent poem exactly, but I'm thinking that I never gave it 
any airplay.  It comes from a remarkable time in my personal development 
when I moved from a grudging toleration of bugs and other small 
creatures to something grander, more generous:  a true affection for them.


--Bill


---

*Beetle *

Somber lack beetle,

making your slow thoughtlike way

on rain-washed ancient brick:

once I did loathe you,

shell and antenna,six little

legs at labor profound, taking you

to something unseen:

the beetle world,its perils

unfeared by my titan foot,

and unfeared by you, as terrors

don't adhere to a head made

for mating and feeding, quite

content to be plain, mundane.

Glories I crave, human curse

peculiar and grand; but you,

peaceful, persist at errands

too small for complaint,

contempt, or the perverse

definitions

of philosophers,

sidewalk wits

or doleful droll poets

settling their

wistful meditations

on your shiny black back.