Custodians

They rummaged and hunted,

holding butterfly nets

in their methodical hands.

Looking, lately, for some insects

in the garden adjacent 

to the literature department.

They appeared bored, 

reluctant and tired.

On our part,

we gazed 

at this activity in bewilderment.

we - 

Kafka's vermin,

Abe's beetle,

Mansfield's fly,

Chekhov's cockroach,

Lispector's insect,

Woolf's moth.

---

the best option we could offer

was ourselves.