deepundergroundpoetry.com
Tell It To The Bees
When I was eight, a bee stung my face.
Tangled itself in my hair
saw me as an enemy
and shot hot venom into my skin.
My Mother ran to her screaming kid
as a moment of pure panic erupted
on Sunday’s lawn,
but the damage was done
my head throbbing, numb
where a bruise turned a vivid shade
of violet, as bold as my new fear
of small latching insects.
Fast forward thirty years
and I was laying half-naked on a table
in front of a radiographer after my third
failed spinal tap, feeling the pressure
of a needle finally find the hallowed gap
in a spine, while he waved a tiny bottle
of clear fluid in front of my face
to show me the eagle had landed
and I lay there, my dark veins buzzing
while a placid woman held my hand
because she could see me shaking
beneath amber spotlights
full of adrenaline, and morphine,
and a tempestuous swarm
of unanswered questions
you see—
ask me what fear is, and I’d tell you
it was the not knowing if that lesion was a tumour,
or cancer, or a life I could not define
it was sucking down government issue soup,
watching an old woman in the bed opposite
eat piss-pad broth as her last meal, waking
in the faint glow of the nurse’s station
to watch them close curtains as they wheeled
her thinly-veiled corpse away
it was watching doctors give you your news
behind Covid-issue face masks, desperate
to see the shape of mouths offer comfort
that never came
a stress induced nose bleed
across rough, blue sheets—
the same sheets used to exhibit
bad Rorschach artworks to a ward
on why you were there
in that place
in that bed
in that room.
When I was eight, a bee stung my face,
and I remember the hurricane headache
that followed, just like thirty years later
when stings became needles
and needles became terror
and terror was a bruised spine
that forgot to tell secrets to a hive
while those bees stole back
their blessings
in return.
Published 25th Feb 2024
Author's Note
Written for the fear and loathing in poetryville comp.
- More information on the Western European folkloric tradition of “telling the bees”: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telling_the_bees
- More information on the Western European folkloric tradition of “telling the bees”: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telling_the_bees
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
likes 12
reading list entries 4
comments 17
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Commenting Preference:
The author encourages honest critique.
25th Feb 2024 5:46am
Terrific writing. You had me knowing your fear. But more important -- I hope it is surmountable. Will pray for your healing.
Hi Alviola. Thanks for stopping by.
I’m glad it made you feel something. My particular condition is more learning to live with the residual difficulties of it now rather than overcoming it, but I am determined to do just that. Thanks for the prayers. Whichever God you wish.
-M
I’m glad it made you feel something. My particular condition is more learning to live with the residual difficulties of it now rather than overcoming it, but I am determined to do just that. Thanks for the prayers. Whichever God you wish.
-M
25th Feb 2024 9:01am
Dear M,
The flow from bee sting to spinal tap and all the thoughts and sensations in between was spectacular. While I’m hoping this is not based on real life I’ll be sending positive outcome vibes just in case and wish you all the best for this comp. Great write. H🌷
The flow from bee sting to spinal tap and all the thoughts and sensations in between was spectacular. While I’m hoping this is not based on real life I’ll be sending positive outcome vibes just in case and wish you all the best for this comp. Great write. H🌷
25th Feb 2024 9:44am
Hi Honoria.
Thanks for the kind words on the poem itself. I’ve really wanted to write a poem about the folklore of bee telling for a while, but haven’t found the right set of circumstances in order to do so. Thankful that the comp provided the catalyst.
On a side note, my poetry is always 95% based on real life, because real life is what I know. Can confirm this is in the 95%. But here we are. I appreciate the vibes.
Thanks for your thoughts
-M
Thanks for the kind words on the poem itself. I’ve really wanted to write a poem about the folklore of bee telling for a while, but haven’t found the right set of circumstances in order to do so. Thankful that the comp provided the catalyst.
On a side note, my poetry is always 95% based on real life, because real life is what I know. Can confirm this is in the 95%. But here we are. I appreciate the vibes.
Thanks for your thoughts
-M
25th Feb 2024 5:56pm
25th Feb 2024 7:20pm
On the contrary, we need to allow fear. We need it. Because we’re humans having human experiences. It’s important as a means of growth and understanding. We can’t whitewash everything with love.
25th Feb 2024 8:28pm
I don't know if you're a person or faith, but I'm speaking mostly of knowing that GOD loves you and has your back and in that you have nothing to fear. I'm also speaking to the love and support of those who love you helping you to get past your fear and face what's in front of you.
25th Feb 2024 9:51pm
Ok, thank you kindly. I’m a Pagan, but I have no issues with any other faiths expressing how they wish to.
Have a lovely evening.
-M
Have a lovely evening.
-M
25th Feb 2024 11:38pm
I can’t resist folkloric poetry, so this is an easy add for me. It’s also a good autobiographical poem, though, reminiscent of Seamus Heaney in its natural imagery and Sylvia Plath’s “Tulips” in its hospital scenes. You weave together the two strands of memory very well.
26th Feb 2024 7:48pm
The fact you even got to the dizzy heights of Seamus Heaney and Plath on a comment on my work is a moment I am here for.
Yeah… I love folklore too. There’s not enough in my honest opinion. Thanks for dropping in with the kind comments.
-M
Yeah… I love folklore too. There’s not enough in my honest opinion. Thanks for dropping in with the kind comments.
-M
26th Feb 2024 1:04am
i enjoy watching bees, i hate bee stings. i have had more than my share.
26th Feb 2024 7:48pm
26th Feb 2024 9:04pm
A brilliant piece.
I am immune to bee stings having had two that should have hurt but didn't .One on my toe which was gone by the time I walked home and one that flew straight up my nose which I had to pull out causing the sting sack to empty itself as I pulled it out by it's head.
Glad that I have that ability
Richard
I am immune to bee stings having had two that should have hurt but didn't .One on my toe which was gone by the time I walked home and one that flew straight up my nose which I had to pull out causing the sting sack to empty itself as I pulled it out by it's head.
Glad that I have that ability
Richard
1st Mar 2024 9:14pm
Bloody horrible, bee stings… I’m glad I’ve never had one since! Glad you were able to surf the pain.
Thanks for checking this out
-M
Thanks for checking this out
-M
1st Mar 2024 9:01pm
Spinal taps are the worst. I never can quite relax enough. Mostly for fear of the outcome. Your poem brought me back to my last, during the shut down, when I ended up in the emergency room getting a blood patch because I was leaking spinal fluid.
Your words speak of raw truth. I know your intent was to write about the folklore of bee telling, but this is what resonated. You’re a gifted writer, Missy. I’m fortunate to read you.
Your words speak of raw truth. I know your intent was to write about the folklore of bee telling, but this is what resonated. You’re a gifted writer, Missy. I’m fortunate to read you.
Oh my lovely - my lumbar puncture was traumatic af. They probably set me up by saying it won’t hurt… the lying wankers. The first time (I was an inpatient for a month during my diagnosis stage) they gave me the local anaesthetic and I was screaming because they kept hitting the bone. The second time on the next day, they smacked me up with morphine and again I was in agony because they kept hitting the bone.
The third attempt the next day they sent me down to the radiographer to guide the needle in with X-ray. However, I was on morphine again because I was so stressed out it was ridiculous. Thank Christ they got it. However, it’s been over a year now since I had the procedure, and the needle entry point still hasn’t healed properly. I catch it on clothing every now and then.
Funnily enough, the bees were secondary to this poem, it just so happened that they fit really well into the metaphor of the experience.
Thanks for your kind words. It’s lovely to meet you in this space.
-M
The third attempt the next day they sent me down to the radiographer to guide the needle in with X-ray. However, I was on morphine again because I was so stressed out it was ridiculous. Thank Christ they got it. However, it’s been over a year now since I had the procedure, and the needle entry point still hasn’t healed properly. I catch it on clothing every now and then.
Funnily enough, the bees were secondary to this poem, it just so happened that they fit really well into the metaphor of the experience.
Thanks for your kind words. It’s lovely to meet you in this space.
-M
1st Mar 2024 9:19pm
It’s lovely to meet you in this space also.
My spinal taps are always done by x-ray because my spinal canal is very narrow. Doctors lie all the time. Medicine is a business, just like any other. Sometimes you’re fortunate to run across a few good ones.
Enjoy your day today.
My spinal taps are always done by x-ray because my spinal canal is very narrow. Doctors lie all the time. Medicine is a business, just like any other. Sometimes you’re fortunate to run across a few good ones.
Enjoy your day today.
