Colleen Chesebro has provided a picture prompt for this week’s https://www.thoughtco.com/ekphrastic-poetry-definition-examples-4174699 challenge. Simply put, this means you write a poem inspired by the picture.
I may have used some poetic license with my double Double Ennead invented by Colleen and explained here: https://carrotranch.com/2021/10/18/saddle-up-saloon-colleens-doubleennead-challenge-no-9/
You can join in this weeks challenge here: https://wordcraftpoetry.com/2022/03/15/tankatuesday-weekly-poetry-challenge-no-265-ekphrastic-photoprompt/
Killer bees Part 1
An overcrowded hive
Results in a split
The old queen and her maids prepare for a move
Some drones are invited
To join their party
***
Scouts take off in a group
Searching high and low
For a safe and secure place to make their own
The swarm waits patiently
In a nearby tree
***
Under a wooden floor
An ideal site is found
The scouts return and perform their waggle dance
Giving clear directions
To the nesting site
Killer bees Part 2
Prepped for occupation
The bees move in fast
Much to the chagrin of the resident dogs
Who attempt to drive off
The enemy force
***
The warriors line up
Ready for action
Their gold and black attire carefully designed
To strike fear into hearts
and maintain respect
***
A unified assault
By the deadly cloud
Sends the dogs running, desperate to escape
The opposition is
Swiftly overcome
roberta-writes.com 
Excellent, vivid verse!
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HI Dave, every year we get a swam of Africanised bees trying to take up residence under our floor boards. The bee catcher told me that the bees remember sites and send messages via these waggle dances.
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Wow!
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Killer bees, eh? Well, you certainly have my senses working overtime here! Fine job.
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Hi Annette, yes, these bees have killed over 1,000 people. They are very vicious.
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It’s interesting how the poem juxtaposes a light-hearted, almost fanciful tone with a scary subject.
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Hi Liz, I like bees but I have a healthy respect for these ones. Our dogs nearly died from all the stings they received and had to have blood transfusions.
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Oh, that must have been awful!
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This is really good Robbie, you certainly got my attention and me thinking too
Great poem 💜
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Thank you, Willow. I’m pleased you enjoyed it.
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I did it really goog 💜💜
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Love this, Robbie! 💕🙂
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Thanks, Harmony
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I’m not sure the dogs would be so easily overcome. But perhaps the bees would not mind nesting on bee and dog carcasses. Although I know nothing about killer bees–maybe when they sting they do not die as other bee species do. And if men are also living in the vicinity, who knows what could happen? I think they would be inclined to defend the dogs rather than the bees, but you can never be sure with humans. (K)
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HI Kerfe, these bees are very vicious. This is based on a real story and our Great Danes nearly died from the stings they received. The bees do die when they sting, they are just very aggressive. They have killed over 1,000 people.
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That’s frightening! I’m glad the dogs survived.
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Well done, Robbie. What a story! I’m relieved the opposition was overcome. Bravo!
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HI Gwen, I am very pleased you enjoyed this poem. I love this 99 syllable form.
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Gives me the shivers – I’m with the dogs.
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Thank you, these bees are very scary and vicious.
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I love this take on the poetry challenge! You thought outside the box. It’s scary (to me, anyway, because killer bees scare me) and brilliant!
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Hi Priscilla, this is based on a real event and our dogs were seriously injured and needed blood transfusions. I have never, ever forgotten it.
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I loved how you weaved a story together with this poetic form, Robbie! Well done! 🙂
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Thank you, Yvette. That is why I like this form. It is long enough to turn into a story.
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Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thank you, Michael
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Beautiful written, Robbie! A great answer to the challenge! Thanks for sharing, and have a beautiful weekend! xx Michael
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HI Michael, thank you, I am so pleased you enjoyed this poem. You too have a good weekend. I hope all is well in your country. So much upheaval in your part of the world.
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Thank you very much as well, Robbie! Yes, here its pure normality, and i think this will last, as long as our politicans not try to play war. Actually one cant see the truth, because there was so much of the last years covered. Lets hope we will not go into a Third WorldWar. xx Michael
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We are all hoping that this war doesn’t progress, Michael.
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Bravo, Robbie! What a wonderful imagination you have. I love it! ❤
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Thank you, Colleen. I am so happy you invented this format, it provides enough structure for a wonderful story. When my 99 poem book is finished, I am going to ask you to help me edit it (if you have time, of course).
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that was a humorous take on what that picture inspired you to write – well done, Robbie!
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Thank you, Jim. Our dogs actually ended up in the vet needing a blood transfusion they were stung so many times. They jumped in the swimming pool to get away. I’ve never forgotten about it.
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I’m sorry that I misinterpreted your poem. I saw the picture and I thought you were referring to those women as performing their waggle dance because of the bees. your poor dogs; that must have been awful to deal with…
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Hi Jim, that is fine. Poetry is very open to interpretation. The dogs did survive their ordeal.
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I’m happy to hear they survived – but it must have painful for them, and you…
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Yes, I have never forgotten about it and this is the second time I’ve written poem about it.
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What a brilliant story! I am in awe of your imagination Robbie!
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Thank you, Balroop. I don’t know why this picture brought the bees waggle dance to mind, but that’s what came.
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Great idea Robbie! Killer bees!
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Thank you, Marje.
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You made this into a entire story, Robbie. Killer bees are so scary, although I appreciate the other bees. We have issues with hornets here, or meat bees as we call them. Their bites can cause blood poisoning, or infection.
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HI Denise, are those the murder hornets I’ve read about? I wouldn’t like to mess with those either. Thanks for reading.
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Nice take on the prompt, Robbie. Killer bees scare the heck out of me! We have Murder hornets making their way to Canada from the US. They are 3-4 inches long and their poison can also kill. Insects and me don’t get along, lol
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Hi Jacquie, I am allergic to the bacteria carried by bees and hornets so I get blood poisoning when stung. I have a very healthy respect for these creatures.
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My niece is the same. She packs an epi-pen wherever she goes.
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An interesting twist to the prompt, Robbie. Killer bees would certainly cause many to dance like crazy! Great job!
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Thanks, Jan.
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You had me looking up more information on “killer bees”, Robbie. I found that while they have greater defensiveness when in a resting swarm and have a higher proportion of “guard” bees within the hive, some beekeepers asset that they are superior honey produces and pollinators. I did not know this!!
I love how you told a remarkable story within the lines of poetry.
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HI Rebecca, I also read that these bees are superior honey producers but they kill the other bees. They also use all the available resources so other nectar eating creatures die.
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Reblogged this on Ed;s Site..
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I too have a healthy respect for the bees here, and for the advancing German Wasps and the European Paper Wasps which have been spreading across the WC.
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It’s a bit like an Alfred Hitchcock movie, isn’t it? Nature’s Revenge or something like that.
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Or an insect version of ‘The Birds’. 😱
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What an intense poem, Robbie. I appreciated the unique take on the challenge and how the poem told a story. Fortunately, we don’t have killer bees in the US. It must be terrifying when they swarm. Your poor dogs.
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Hi Diana, they are very scary and you just have to take cover. Our poor dogs were all swollen up and in a terrible state after this attack. You feel so helpless because there is nothing much you can do to help.
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I hope you hear them coming. A surprise attack would be terrifying.
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Yes, you can hear the buzzing.
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No muder hornets, thankfully. The meat bees are pests and will pester you if you try to eat outside ot try to BBQ. My daughter stepped in their nest on a hike and they bite her several times and our dog.
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Oh dear, that sounds horrid.
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Love the different parts! And scary but well done
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Thank you, Yvette.
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😉
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Wow, Roberta – I was not expecting that! You rocked this form and the prompt! How creative 🙂
Sincerely,
David
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Thank you, David. I’m glad you enjoyed my poem.
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Great job on the poetry. 🙂
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Thank you, Mark
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Very visual. I’ve seen programs that have shown just what you have described. Well not chasing the dogs away! Poor dogs.
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Hi Jules, that was a real experience I had and the poor dogs nearly died. They had to have blood transfusions. African bees are very vicious.
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I think we have some ‘killer bees’ here. Some folks are very allergic to even ‘kind bee’ stings.
I’m glad they recovered! 💗
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I think there are hybrids of AFrican bees everywhere now. They kill the local bee populations which is a biological problem. I get blood poisoning from the bacteria in bee venom. Some people go into anaphylactic shock from a bee sting. I wrote a short story about that once.
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One of my children had a small reaction to a bee sting once. And I was helping trim bushes while visiting a relative in another state and got stung by a ‘no-see-um’ not really sure what it was, but I was told it could sting more than once and the ‘bite’ swelled on the palm of my hand to the size of a large coin. So I’m careful around bugs.
Stay safe!
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