hive

bees
everywhere
they drone so close to my ear that
my skin crawls

(i swoop
low,
through a dark hole
ringed by pulsing bodies
and glittering eyes
into the hive)

wings beat, tiny on my face
my eyelids flutter
as i recoil

i slap before i can think
(i sting)
ducking, running
(hissing away, threat
then darkness
i plummet)

red swelling blood
pinpoint venom
and it won’t stop
(hurting)