Busy

When bees build hives between walls,

their buzzing permeates through the empty rooms.

Finally, the walls will speak,

either for help or to draw attention to the work that’s happening within.

When bees build hives between walls,

The friction they create registers it’s own heat signature.

Their endless motion can cause those walls to ignite.

When I ask how you’ve been,

On the days when we’re looking at each other

with eyes that expect more than niceties.

You tell me of the buzzing.

You tell me of the heat.

I can see the sparks at your finger tips,

waiting to set you ablaze as they dance

across your coffee cup,

unable to keep still.

I wonder if you’re afraid of the silence, or just accustomed to the noise.

I wonder if you embrace the heat

because the slow, cold, molasses like parts of you

will show how much you’re afraid of getting stuck.

I wonder if the bees know they will burn themselves to the ground.

And I promise,

I will protect the quiet parts of you.

I will caress the places that are cold without trying to share my warmth.