ALEXANDER ANDERSON

"The Message of the Bee"

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The humble bee is hiding

   In the blossom's golden cells;

He, and he only, can tell me

   Where the queen of the fairies dwells.

He is out on a royal message,

   He has her high command

To bring his tribute of honey

   To her table in fairyland.

And this is why he is ranging

   From blossom to blossom to-day;

He is busy making nectar

   For the lips of elf and fay.

He will carry the golden treasure

   To all their kith and kin,

To a bank in a wood where a portal

   Will open to let him in.

This tiniest of portals

   Lies hid as violets hide,

Two blue-bells stand as sentries,

   They guard it on either side.

He will hum, as he enters, the password,

   And they — they will nod in the sun,

Then stand again to their duty,

   And this is all that is done.

I too have seen this portal,

   And a child can understand

That there is no other doorway

   To the realms of fairyland.