I’ll describe how bees used to arrive

out of hibernation when it was warm,

every summer, leave pollen on

every wildflower in the backyard

flying, buzzing, landing on yellow dandelions,

or pink clover and small white flowers

full of nectar, bright, dusty pollen on their legs,

they especially adored the purple lilac bush

I’ll explain how we used to get honey

from bees, how thick gold amber poured

from the bowl, how sweet the taste

of morning was with honey, toast and coffee

how bees lived in hives, ground holes or wood

all about honeycombs, where they store honey and pollen,

I’ll explain how important the queen bee was

and how all the workers served her

I’ll explain how the western honey bee

pollinated wild plants all over the world,

how global crops depend on pollination

on every continent, except the frozen South pole.