Happily A Worm

I think I could be
happily a worm

if I was not so terrified
of ending up drowned
on a concrete walk
after a storm

Forced to leave
dark soil
surrounded by roots
where I’d been
most grounded
or worse
desiccated upon
a blacktopped driveway

where even
the slightest sunlight
could take from me
my pink life
and leave behind
my dark leather corpse

Even the robins
will not take that

Will leave me instead
to disappear bit by bit
into a trail of ants
bearing me
down the hatch
into their small volcano
of a home
in the sand
along the fence

I could be happily a worm
if I knew I’d be 
remaining
forever or for at least a few seasons
away from all
grounded and blind
underground