poem of the day 05.05.14

the bee

there is a bee
trapped in a spider web
covering one of the security cameras
they’ve installed in this place

it’s enlarged on a huge LED television
flapping its wings

it looks frantic

this bee is one more thing
trapped within the cog of all existence

bees have been put through enough shit on this planet

and he is sitting next to me laughing at it
as if watching a great slapstick comedy

soon others join him to watch

the bee shows up every third frame or so
its life force being sucked out slowly
for the amusement of the earth’s master species

i can’t help but feel bad for the bee

i feel like it most days myself
trapped on the train to work or in lines at the grocery
waiting to cross an intersection during the morning rush
or at the workplace watching such cruelty

i too am trapped within the cog of all existence
only my suffering is rarely magnified to this degree

i’m rooting for the bee to break away
from this hold and sting the living shit out of that spider

and for these people to disperse
to go back to whatever triviality
held their attention before this

or for them to wise up
and let this poor creature die with some dignity

shut the cameras off until the deed has been done
instead of standing there with their mouths agape

the occasional cackle
roaring out of their mouths
like canned sitcom laughter

with each ever-slowing flap
of those regal translucent wings.