Ant -BY KABIR

Beware of the world,
     brothers,
     be alert---
you're being robbed
     while wide awake.
Beware of the Vedas,
     brothers,
     be vigilant---
Death will carry you away
While the guard
     looks on.

The neem tree
becomes the mango tree,
    the mango tree becomes
    the neem,
the banana plant
spreads into a bush--
    the fruit on the coconut palm
ripens into berry
right under your noses,
    you dumb and foolish
    rustics!

Hari becomes sugar
    and scatters Himself
    in the sand.
No elephant can sift
the crystals from the grains.
    Kabir says, renounce
    all family, caste, and clan.
Turn into an ant,
     instead---
pick the sugar from the sand
     and eat.