Bee

Art & Words By Elaine Ng

On a warm spring’s day, I walked down the street and I saw a bee. I wondered what other functions it had besides pollinating.

It‌ ‌buzzes‌ ‌around‌ ‌the‌ ‌flower‌ ‌ ‌
And‌ ‌I‌ ‌freak‌ ‌out.‌ ‌ ‌
I‌ ‌start‌ ‌to‌ ‌wonder,‌ ‌what‌ ‌could‌ ‌it‌ ‌do‌ ‌at‌ ‌this‌ ‌hour?‌ ‌
It‌ ‌mumbles‌ ‌and‌ ‌bumbles‌ ‌as‌ ‌I‌ ‌start‌ ‌to‌ ‌doubt.‌ ‌ ‌
 ‌
Bees‌ ‌are‌ ‌known‌ ‌for‌ ‌honey‌ ‌and‌ ‌stings.‌ ‌
I‌ ‌edge‌ ‌closer‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌flower‌ ‌and‌ ‌I‌ ‌almost‌ ‌flinch.‌ ‌ ‌
Believing‌ ‌that‌ ‌I‌ ‌could‌ ‌disturb,‌ ‌away‌ ‌I‌ ‌start‌ ‌walking.‌ ‌ ‌
I‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌want‌ ‌a‌ ‌pinch.‌ ‌ ‌
 ‌
It‌ ‌works‌ ‌away,‌ ‌literally‌ ‌a‌ ‌busy‌ ‌bee.‌ ‌ ‌
I‌ ‌wonder‌ ‌why‌ ‌it‌ ‌chose ‌this‌ ‌job.‌ ‌ ‌
Why‌ ‌can’t‌ ‌it‌ ‌decide‌ ‌to‌ ‌swim‌ ‌at‌ ‌sea?‌ ‌ ‌
Do‌ ‌they‌ ‌even‌ ‌have‌ ‌the‌ ‌right‌ ‌to‌ ‌sob?‌ ‌
 ‌
We,‌ ‌as‌ ‌humans,‌ ‌can‌ ‌swim‌ ‌at‌ ‌sea.‌ ‌ ‌
We,‌ ‌as‌ ‌humans,‌ ‌have‌ ‌the‌ ‌right‌ ‌to‌ ‌sob.‌ ‌ ‌
We,‌ ‌as‌ ‌humans,‌ ‌can‌ ‌choose‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌lazy.‌ ‌ ‌
We,‌ ‌as‌ ‌humans,‌ ‌could‌ ‌even‌ ‌choose‌ ‌our‌ ‌jobs.‌ ‌ ‌
 ‌
The‌ ‌bee’s‌ ‌job‌ ‌has‌ ‌never‌ ‌changed‌ ‌throughout‌ ‌the‌ ‌centuries.‌ ‌
Like‌ ‌any‌ ‌other‌ ‌animal,‌ ‌it‌ ‌has‌ ‌a‌ ‌given‌ ‌role.‌ ‌
They‌ ‌won’t‌ ‌need‌ ‌to‌ ‌visit‌ ‌any‌ ‌cemetery.‌ ‌ ‌
And‌ ‌they‌ ‌do‌ ‌not‌ ‌need‌ ‌to‌ ‌do‌ ‌what‌ ‌is‌ ‌told.‌ 

Performance

Process

After observing a bee doing its business, I wondered why it must have that life function. While I was walking away, the bee remained on my mind. I found this bee in New York City, a very busy city that is not known for nature, but rather concrete. It inspired me to write a poem because that form of writing allows more freedom to think about this bee and the natural world. I took a picture of a garden with beautiful flowers, and when it came time to submit this piece, I recalled the picture with the beautiful flowers, as it was an example of how nature can bee.