Mortimer's Morsel - VII

“Well, all we can do is try our best.”
responded Augustine
who picked a side and hastily began,
then Mortimer jumped in there lest
his idleness was seen
as a way to be complacent for a span
while taking all the credit for the plan.

They pushed and pulled and scratched and dug
for all that they were worth
and still they couldn’t seem to make it budge
and if they did they’d yet to lug
its monumental girth
then Augustine, remembering his grudge,
deduced that he had been too quick to judge

his fellow ant that liked to dream
he wasn’t just a bum
determination bristled in his soul
and now that they had formed a team
perhaps the time had come
for him to realize a greater role
and force that stubborn windfall through the hole.

Their efforts drained the both of them
until they had to stop
and take a look at what their work had wrought,
if only they could get that gem
to wiggle free and drop
but it stayed stuck no matter how they fought,
of course they couldn’t help but feel distraught.

“Well Mortimer what’ll we do?”
said Augustine at last,
“Do we stay and fight or go round up the corps?”
And in his heart Mortimer knew
that things would go so fast
if he sought help to come and fetch his score
besides, that’s what worker ants were for.