Poems: My bee-loud glade

My bee-loud glade

The caper bush serenades the love-sick bees

in this very early morning

they congregate in their hundreds

around the many long, purple stamens

As I slowly approach, the sound magnifies,

expands and saturates.

It is a rush to the head.

Frenzied banded bee souls, weigh down

the soft white petals

and the scent is transfixing.

First up, a wave of brine,

and then something sweet and urgent

launched by the sunrise maybe

and I feel the promise of the new day on my skin

as the moon hangs benignly in a blushing sky.

These ways of nature, quietly providing us with ballast

as we fumble about in our messy lives

planning the achievable and the unachievable,

even the unnecessary and unneeded

while the bees hover purposefully,

set their trajectory,

and advance

tripping the light fandango.

Jane McCarthy lives on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula. As with today’s poem, the natural environment is one of her writing passions for both poetry and short stories, some which have made shortlistings. Grandchildren and cooking, are two others. Currently, in conjunction with a Writers SA mentor, she is undertaking a full-length work. Jane works in mental health, “with the most important members of our society ‒ children”.

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to [email protected]. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.