Buzz Buzz Buzz

the sound of the bumbling bee’s wings.

Zzz Zz Z

the snores of the sleeping student.

The chirping of the free birds,

the rising of the scarlet sun,

and the dreaded screams of the 8am alarm,

signal the start of a new day.

As the bee focuses on collecting nectar,

the student works on finishing his physics lab.

As the bee scours the field for flowers,

the student searches his emails for a Zoom link.

The bee is always moving quickly,

doing its part for the hive.

The student’s mind feels like a hive of its own,

Overwhelmed with work.

Both the bee and the student are like a computer,

overheating with overflowing tabs,

The student notices the bee from his window,

staring at the bee, while the bee seems to stare back.

Both feel so calm in that moment,

The stillness of the flower.

The meeting of the eye.

Looking there, the student wondered,

“Does the bee ever take a rest?”

What happens to the bee if it doesn’t bring enough nectar to the hive?

Will he be scolded by his parents?

Will his dream college reject him?

Or will the pressure be too great,

finally breaking the bee to leave on its own?

After all, the bee can only work so hard,

spending all its life to make a teaspoon of honey,

not mourned for its death,

not appreciated for its work,

Receiving no freedom until it stings back,

destroying itself in the process.