They Didn'T Know Poem by Kyle Schlicher

he lay there
under the sun
dried blood on his lips.

the heat was oppressive.

his clothes were dusty,
dark blotches on them.

i could see the ants
moving,
entering him
and
exiting him.

how i hate this place!

how i hate the people
who are responsible
for all this unbelievable madness.

how i hate myself
for volunteering to be here!

i watched the ants crawling
over the body.

i wanted to hate them too!

but,
they didn't know
and
the hating
had to stop somewhere.

5-15-1968