Millipede

Vile red and brown blur

Or dayglo yellow and red on black

Evil malevolent alien head and eyes

You crawl into the fields at harvest

Fearless of machinery or men

The farmers chop you up with scythes

Or put you wriggling in a jar

To collect your stinking potent oil

For medicines against stings

Of lesser potency than yours

You hide in dark places

Awaiting toes and ankles

I found you once at home

Coiled around my inner thigh

As I sat in the summer heat

I threw you out the window

And was surprised to find

You left me completely unstung