blue ants

it was an elementary thing
a budget of allowances
sifted through calloused fingers
and red wine eyes
in the late brittle evening
of a June vacation

he was marketing his madness
wrapping pop-up books of his limitations
for the church flea market
with all the bubble gum enthusiasm
of a junior high cheerleader

seven days into last month
found him missing buttons off his shirt
sorting old coins from his grandfather
and reading the soft blue auras
of his house plants
as re-runs of the Dick Van Dyke show
spattered grey white Impressionism
across the peeling stucco walls
of his third floor studio

blue ants
at least that's what he said they were
were invading his sugar cube sculpture
of the Seven Wonders of the World

He had begun dismantling
the Colossus of Rhodes
with ginger regrets
offering me small white bricks from the salvage
for an afternoon of sweet conversation
and jasmine tea

_____________________� Chuck Beals 1996