The Solitary Dung Beetle and the Vast Milky Way

A beetle tumbles its elegant wad

guided by the galaxy’s streaky rim,

diffuse directional cue or distant god?

Head down, moving steady but backward,

kicking the ball along with his hind limb.

a beetle tumbles its elegant wad

in straight lines. He stops to climb aboard.

and looks to the stars. (Do the stars observe him?

Diffuse directional cue or distant god?)

He knew a god once, when he was a word

drawn on walls: scarab beetle, painted twin.

A beetle tumbles its elegant wad

and considers the whole universe, plaid

patterning of the stars, high and pale and thin

diffuse directional cue or distant god?

But time stops for no beetle. Plod plod plod.

Before sky goes dark and stars grow dim

(diffuse directional cue or distant god?)

a beetle tumbles its elegant wad.

Based on this article, linked to on twitter by @bluemilk