Large Fierce Mammal

“So given an imperative that outweighs simple survival, an organism may exhibit itself at the pinnacle of its perfection. Even though it may know it has but one stroke to offer an adversary, the depths of its vitality can only be known by inviting that stroke. Consider that.” ~ Dark Sentiments Season 7 – Day 8: A Foray into the Feral

Some of the greatest Teachers I’ve ever had lived under rotting logs, swarmed me out of a half buried and long abandoned paint can, or charged me with horns lowered. Still others accepted and tolerated my presence for reasons of their own, and coming forward I will not limit my quest for knowledge to its delivery from those of my own Tribe.

Today’s poem was inspired by a conversation I had this morning with #1 Son Viktor about a drawing he had done. The drawing was of a monster and its pet bee, the latter replete with blood red eyes and a prodigious stinger. This kind of thing is normal around here and I’m disinclined to entertain questions about it.

Recognizing a teachable moment when I see one, I asked him if he knew Bees die after stinging while Wasps labour under no such limitation. He did not, and I ended the lesson with this. Apologies to the Esteemed Stanfields for use of their perfect line from Fight Song.

Sting

By LFM

The Bee will spend its days at work among the blossoms fresh,
The likewise busy Wasp will gladly pause to sting your flesh.
To earn the enmity of Bees, one really has to try,
A Wasp will punish being born, or simply walking by.

The Bee knows in its heart of hearts it has one life to Live,
Its sting reserved for dire straits, with but one sting to give.
The Wasp may sting a hundred men, today and more tomorrow,
Unfettered by the hand of Death, with glee untinged by sorrow.

Go ask the Bees and Wasps my Son, if when the day is done,
The Wise should seek all chance to sting, or save it for but one.
The Wasp will sting who dares to ask, the Bee won’t speak in haste,
A dignified example is more to that creature’s taste.

The fuss, the muss, the row, the fray, the bully’s way of speaking —
Take your council from the Wasp if that’s the path you’re seeking.
But if you think it through my Son, I think you’ll come to see
The better Man eschews the Wasp to act and think the Bee.