Darwin's Mouth

And out of the mouth
the beetle rides an acrid river
of spittle.
 
Having
embittered the palate, it returns
to the rainforest, a rare
 
specimen with three sets of wings:
one covers the face,
one the feet, & with the last
 
it flies. The scarab hides a lantern
in the banana
leaf
 
where it waits considering
suitors for its
jade light. No matter the jaguar
 
or the sloth
the beetle recesses into sanctum
&, all but forgotten, finds
 
itself next to impossible.