Diane of On the Border and Jenny of Procrastinating Donkey are taking turns hosting Poetry Monday, supplying us with a theme and crafty poems. Mimi of Messymimi's Meanderings also writes a poem for us to enjoy.
As I wrote when the theme was Pets back in March, I did not have many pets and certainly not normal ones as a child. Apart from a white mouse that died after only a few days, a
crazy, inbred cat which was euthanised, goldfish who lost their tails to some mysterious disease and were flushed down the toilet, and a couple of Guinea pigs, belonging to my sister, I only kept crabs that invariably died in our play pool, spiders, ladybugs, worms, bumblebees and such like wild bug-lifey pets in an old fishtank.
Bees
Sometimes they've read my beekeepers' handbook
Sometimes they've not.
Sometimes the water is fine in the brook
Sometimes it's not
Sometimes they're ready for flowers in May
Sometimes of rape seed they don't catch a day.
Sometimes they're swarming as often as not
Sometimes they're staying at home in a knot.
Sometimes they're angry and I wonder why
Then I see thunder and clouds in the sky.
Sometimes I long for to have bees again,
But poison just kills them and I feel the pain.
Next week's theme is one where I feel at home:
The Delights/Disasters of "Growing Your Own".
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Blogger is still randomly putting comments in spam-jail. I promise to free them as fast as possible.
A few years ago I did volunteer work on a wildlife farm, and I discovered the joy and fascination of working with bees. They are amazing creatures and I, too, would love to have some of my own. Unfortunately my neighbour is extremely frightened of them and has been know to destroy bees' nests, so I understand your pain, too.
SvarSletFrightened neighbours are not an easy thing to handle. It mostly helps to tell about the difference between bees and wasps - and promise some honey. I had to keep my bees on a neghbouring plot, away from our houses as well, could ypu do this? Many apple plantation farmers or such would welcome a hive or two.
SletYes, the poor bees are having a very hard time, aren't they? Your list of Nature's pets is impressive. I expect they are much harder to take care of than the usual ones. Well done. I look forward to your "growing" poem next week :)
SvarSletYes they were hard to keep, and our rate of success was not big. Luckily there was no lack of spiders, earthworms and earwicks in my childhood - or even bumble bees and crabs;)
SletI look forward to next Monday as well, and hope to be able to write a humourous poem on all my gardelning mishaps, and read about yours.
And what fascinating creatures you shared your life with.
SvarSletHow I wish that the world was safe for bees (and rather a lot of other critters). Sadly it is not and we carry a lot of the blame.
Yes it feels that way, even if I was always longing for dogs or other normal pets. I'd never have declined an owl, given the chance though ;)
SletWhat does Australian children do?
Oh, sorry if I misled you. It's not the general levels of inceticides killing off my bees, but a nearby farmer - don't know who or where, I can't track the bees - who has been killing off my bees two years in a row with his "plant protection" in flowers or places not good for bees.
SvarSletThanks for all your nice words.
Growing up we had a LOT of pets. We had dogs. We had birds. We had cats. We had turtles. We had guinea pigs and white mice. My brothers also brought home snails, spiders, and beetles. It was a crowded house. It was a chaotic house and I have fond memories of it. I would really, really have like an owl too - though these days I am very happy that the birds who visit us fly free.
SvarSletAnd yes, people here spray insecticides too. It kills their pests, but they kill other things too.
Thank you it seems children are the same no matter where ... and you're making my memory work. We had a bird as well, but as usual not for long. A Mynah bird, known for its whistling, and boy could it whistle. We had to cover the cage with a blanket to be able to stay in the same room, and the husks, hulls or whatever of its seeds were strewn all over the floor. I think my Mom sold it back very quickly.
SletI love this line:
SvarSletSometimes they're staying at home in a knot.
Perfect. Humans do that too, at times.
XO
WWW
Thank you.
SletYes right now I'd like my family to stay hme in a knot. A very tight one.
We do love watching the bees, and my heart aches for how callous so many of us are toward them.
SvarSletSo true, and this goes for all bees, also the wild ones, not only the ones, we keep.
SletOhmyword! I do love bees! And grieve over their thinning numbers...
SvarSletMy kids and grands are all on a mission to protect the bees! It's heart-warming!