On Bees
Are we scared of bees?
Or are bees (rightfully) scared of us
for the ways we have plundered their
homes, their source of nourishment, their
way of life, thus,
they are forced onto the offensive for survival?
Bees have a job to do, after all,
and they continue to do it, long after
we continue to dwindle their source of supply
and extract their
honey for our recipes and teas.
It’s all not surprising, though, as
many of my ancestors and contemporaries
love to plunder and extract
without consequence and without
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a tinge of regret.
The bees get it, though. They still
pollinate, day after day, year after year, because
there is no other choice.
So, are we scared of bees?
Or, are we scared of bees because they
are scared of us? And, if
it’s the latter, how do we break
the cycle?
I know a few people who already have
that answer, and have tried to
tell us.
Will we listen?
Anyway, this is what I ponder
when I wander past some bees on
my walk home.
What do you think about?
