Unwed Human Female

Here we lay, broken,
Ravaged by honey eaters -
Shameless scavengers.

Gentle honeybees,
Seemingly innocuous,
What is there to fear?

Push back your petals,
I bury myself inside,
I pollinate you.

Drifting on the breeze,
Lazily I gather you,
Sweet love to petals.

Flower to flower,
I slowly gather sweetness,
Take it home to you.

My time here is brief,
Each week is like a decade,
And soon I’m no more.

We grow by legions,
When my time on Earth has passed,
Dozens take my place.

Tiny ones wriggle,
Smaller than a grain of rice,
They grope, sightlessly.

Beekeeper in sight,
I shudder to think what comes-
Our work, all for naught.

Round and lightly downed,
Lighter than a single leaf,
Exoskeleton.

Queen I’ve never seen,
One who I will never touch,
Who I would die for.