Praying Mantis's and Preying Politicians....

An amazing photograph of the shell of a Praying Mantis, after moulting, clicked and posted by FB friend and photographer , Anand Amembal.

Moulting happens in various ways in insects, birds , even reptiles, and is all about changing, shedding old to acquire new. In the case of the Praying Mantis, the whole exoskeleton/shell.

So similar to what's happening in Parliament. The powerful ruling leading party, pretending to shepherd an important  Bill, appropriating support from small parties, and then devaluing them , once their usage is over. Sometimes, the smaller parties learn quickly, move away, and hold out. The powerful pretend to change, sometimes even actually change, but the world has seen through them. Even the environment and the country is not fooled. 

The praying mantis, moults to grow. Our preying  politicians, must moult and moult again, to learn...

(photograph by Anand Amembal)

We pray.

The mantis's,
they prey.

Flitting between
leaves, joins and parties,
a hiss here,
an indulgent glance there,
mostly highanded,
trying to squeeze,
opposing others
amidst legs
sharpened to hurt,
they devour
helpless little ones,
as they pretend ,
it is all for the good of the green.

But sometimes,
the duplicity is exposed,
the leaves turn away,
and
the insects,
having learned the hard way,
look for pastures,
elsewhere and greener.


It's time to moult,
and tentative and shrugging,
occasionally stiffening
in attitude,
the mantis moves out,
maybe reluctantly,
to start preying elsewhere again.

And the ghostly white
vision,
leans across a leaf
in suprise,
looking at the going ons
and wonders
"How many times
must I keep moulting
and changing myself
before
this becomes a meaningful place to live?"