Be Ready

 

"Be ready my child" the queen bee said

"for the very sight of you will inspire great dread.

Your dark stripes and light will make them cower in fear

or else they'll try to destroy you so you can't get too near."

The little bee frowned. None of this seemed quite right.

"But all I want is the freedom to fly and alight

on flowers to gather nectar, golden and sweet,

and to carry it hiveward on my small clever feet..

Why should they run?  Why should they want to kill me?"

The queen bee shook her head in great sorrow

"That is the question, and it's not at all silly.

They think you're a danger, my child, my sweet.

They only see your stinger, not your clever small feet,

not your sunshine gold stripes, nor those midnight dark.

They fear you in their gardens, as you fly through the park.

All they believe is their fear, and fear makes them mad."

The little bee hung its head. "That makes me so sad.

Without bees  there's no flowers, 

no fruits, no sweet honey.

What is there but these?"  

The queen bee sighed,  "They want power and  money.

more than our sweet honey,

more than the flowers that bloom

to brighten their rooms,

more than fruit, more than life,

more than sky, more than earth."

The little bee wept a small tear,

"then what are we worth?"