THE OTHER EMPIRE by David Erdos


THE OTHER EMPIRE


Insects rush to my skin as I sit outside, chasing Summer.
Under their minute persuasion I can feel the blame of my bulk

Toppling. It is as if they were pushing me back to earth
In an endless season of nudges; tight and tiny Tectonics,

Much like a captured cough's throttling. My subsequent ruins
Within do all they can to resist this. But I know in time

They could take me as they scour fat flesh for bright blood.
They would like me gone piece by piece; for such is nature's

Insistence. As even on dry land, man stains oceans.
Even when breaching sky he stokes flood. I gaze at the gaps

In the street and witness the planet's true population.
They are on the turn. Worms are generals, secondered

And sourced in dark earth. While the ant fugues play on
And the creatures of crumbs create cultures, at once

More eloquent in their seasons than the stalled product
For which any ticket of ours could seek worth.   

It is not a ‘man's man's world’ James Brown; that form
Of dominance is delusion. It is an Empire of Insects,

Andy of chrysalis casts and bulb bursts. For we have
But one skin to shed. They with shells and cases have many.

They practise their evolution while we are yet to conceive
Our starred turn. All forms of insect abound as man falls,

Dumbfounded. God's not in people. To the empire of ants
We're what's spurned.




David Erdos September 14th 2020
 














For more poems from David Erdos visit The Corona Diaries collection 



David Erdos is an actor, writer, director with over 300 professional credits. He is a published poet, playwright, essayist and illustrator. He has lectured on all disciplines in theatre and film for leading performing arts colleges, schools and universities around the world. His books include EASY VERSES FOR DIFFICULT TIMES, THE SCAR ON THE CLOUD, OIL ON SILVER, NEWS FROM MARS, CHANGING PLACES WITH LIGHT (penniless press) and BYZANTIUM with the photographer Max Reeves. He is a contributing editor for The International Times and maker of documentaries all over the world. David’s work has been acclaimed by many leading figures including Harold Pinter, Heathcote Williams, Alan Moore, Andrew Kotting, Chris Petit and Iain Sinclair in whose recent book THE LAST LONDON, David features. He can be reached at David.erdos@sky.com.

David Erdos





©    David Erdos has asserted his moral rights as author of his work and has full copyright.


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