Honey

By Lital Weizman

Art by Lital Weizman

You never quite know when you’re gonna need money,

So always carry a note spare, or five,

And you never quite know when you’re gonna need honey,

So if I can, I always carry a hive.

It's a finicky thing, a hive full of bees,

But every so often they're awfully useful;

I bring them along with my wallet and keys,

I cannot leave them at home, to be truthful.

They fill my world with a buzz -- and I’m not complaining,

But sometimes I tire of dull, tuneless singing;

True, honey is nice mixed in tea, when it’s raining,

But don’t get me started on all of the stinging.

I wouldn’t complain, but I do tend to tire,

Of the days when their background buzz begins storming,

A hive, animated by unseen desire,

All at once begins moving, and buzzing and swarming.

Set off by some signal they rise, all a-humming,

The hive mind as one, as if poised for some mission,

And sometimes it does set my heart all a-drumming,

I’m seeing the sting at the edge of my vision.

But I'm not complaining -- far from it! I’m singing

Their praises, although I'll admit it's annoying,

When they get moody and start up their stinging,

Well, that's when their presence can get rather cloying.

But that's how it goes - I couldn’t not take them

Around with me - that would surely be feckless

For how would I cope if I were to forsake them?

Any prudent person wouldn’t dare be so reckless.

So I take them, in case I get into some bind:

Just knowing they’re there with my phone and my money,

A buzz in the background gives some peace of mind:

I know that I’m safe, should I ever need honey.