"Have" is a four-letter-word.
It clings to things it makes.
It is greedy and selfish.
It is divisive, pitting "us" against "them."
It threatens our survival.
When isolated ants, too,
Act under the spell of "have"
And its cousin, "mine."
Yet, upon reaching a critical mass,
They transform.
Awakened to the wisdom of "antropy":
No me,
No you,
No ant,
Cooperating fluidly,
Moving harmoniously,
Meeting the needs of all.
How many humans does it take
For us
To act
Together?
From Painting Enlightenment © 2019 by Paula Arai
Reproduced in arrangement with Shambhala Publications