Competition Twenty-One Highly Commended: Bees Fly by Shirley Ann Bunyan
In moments of quiet respite I sat on the steps of our wood-weary porch listening to Grandpa’s rocker in all its tattered glory, creaking empty to the lull of a wistful breeze.
No one else ever sat there. The sky, vacant white, hung low like a notice board waiting for words from God or someone. Aunt Clara periodically made the sign of the cross asking the Virgin Mary for mercy and other mutterings. Cousins and kin wandered in and out aimlessly with bent heads and spent talk whilst muted murmurings drifted through doorways on the faint aroma of home-made broth and bread. Even the trees were sullen, air-mumbling fragments of childhood escapades, fishing forays, camping coups and catastrophes. They were all still there, happening.
I lazily watched a lone bee hovering, busily fulfilling its destiny, unawares it would soon be dead. I envied its unknowing.
Today, time was a sepia presence, neither moving nor standing still. It was as if the world was just ticking over, treading water, stalling for Grandpa’s passing before revving and starting up again.
His bedroom had taken on an aura of hushed reverence. He lay there in pale resignation, aware his loud, hearty frame had long since surrendered to thin-skinned frailty.
I had never noticed the pink and yellow flowers on the wallpaper before and how the sinewy silver stems wound around each-other so intricately. I never had need to, and I didn’t now but it helped fill the spaces between waiting and wanting something to happen, praying it wouldn’t, knowing it would. Grandpa was ready.
Butterflies join wings with angels according to Aunt Clara.
Beginning ends when end begins. Time trundles on and bees fly
to wherever they need to be.
Shirley Ann Bunyan lives in Hertfordshire, England. She has been writing poetry on and off all her life, but only recently started to do anything with it. She has so far had a small measure of success.
Image by Daria Głodowska from Pixabay
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This was a beautiful read.
Lovely. Vivid, delicate