Waggling at rare hours of sunrise

Whirring at first sight of twilight

Glowing at whiff of unseen light

And yet no hive in sight

What bright briar

must have brought you to my littered lair?

I know not what love, I see no flower

No showers even at the usual hour

Only dead leaves dumped on this foyer

by thirsty stems. Bumblebee

drifting free

You left lush shrubs

for a dead courtyard littered with stubs.

I may have smelled green or nipped a forbidden flower

Away to the sanctuary for an early prayer

If I go

will you follow?

But oh, incessant bee flying free

pursued in speed to circle me

gliding closer, a hushed hover

You perch on my shoulder

I smile hands cupped

for a friendly hug or frustrated swipes

yet you spy

in multiple lenses of colourful eyes.

Golden insect, what do you inspect

if there is no honey to expect?

She sniffs my perfumed neck

a Calvin Klein has done the trick

But no, not my armpit

A daring wriggle closer, sniffing and oh, a spit

followed by a sting. You slap me!

Foul odour masked by choicest fragrance

Human delusion to elegance

No insect is fooled by this ruse

How will I be of use

in this subterfuge

to an honeybee?

What decay has she felt or see

in me?

So I rushed to pluck the finest flower

to deck my foyer

with fresh spray

Perhaps she will stay

and not stray.

She flew back secretly

surveyed and sniffed quietly

the old kitchen lingered in smoke

Beware, lest you choke.

Yet, no dismay

as she flew away.

A rotten food

must have fouled her mood

I am no lover, nor do I flower

in this dirty foyer.

A lone harbinger bee surveying courtyards

What message have you brought?

On whose land have I trespassed?

What shrub did I burn down?

What trees did I cut and which birds did I displace?

On whose house did I build mine?

I will clean this old land, plant fresh flowers

and leave room for new lovers.

How do we bring life to a dead cold farm,

light up old homes to let love blossom?

I’m still searching for answers

to lure back the pet bee

who wanted to hive with me.