Journeying through our apartment I saw ants working

They just had no idea

You called them single-minded and I thought yes

I thought what does that look like in my brain

I was having a lightshow

Outside everything was falling off the trees

who like to draw

In that way and in others they are elephants

So enormous!     Halfway underground

The day was a crown we were all wearing

the trees and you     the single-minded ants

We worked and showered and rested by decree

We could see our domain     Our domain glowing

a lavender glow I did not mind

You are everywhere in our home

The little stickers with your name

and our address     pictures of fruit

or birds     and just now

I was reading and stopped

and used your checkbook

to mark my place

It is the nature of things

to be used in some other way

When today I leave the house

I hope someone will see me

and use me as an example

of a person not thinking

about what is utmost

in his own mind

and without my knowing it

“the not-thinking person”

will be what I primarily am

and the world will go on lightly turning

with its millions of small adjustments

that make space for us

that let us get through