An ant does not command free choice
no thoughts or views are its to voice
until an ant with inner rage
emerges from the larval stage.
Ant E’s place in the teeming nest
was fixed (by alphabetic test)
and so came duly after D
preceding workers F and G.
Most ants enjoy this ordered life,
immune from worry, angst and strife.
It was like this for A to D
and F through Z . . . but not Ant E.
His mates were all by instinct tasked
which functioned well till Ant E asked
“Why toil as we have always done?
Why shouldn’t ants have fun and sun?
There has to be a different way!
If I could have the final say
I’d leave it up to each of you
to map out daily what to do”.
E’s radical philosophy
spread through the whole community.
Soon ants stopped work and ran outside.
The colony dissolved and died.
And so Ant E was left alone,
sad, seated on the Queen Ant’s throne.
Too late his rebel soul could see
Co-operation sets you free.