The pain
Buzz buzz
Stung
Shocking pain
Small lines of black and yellow
A hot summer day
about the middle of June
Burning pavement,
bright yellow roads
hot sidewalks
Just another summer day
Me and my best friend,
Jerry, somebody I had known since Kindergarten
Just hanging out by the Park Forest Pool
Talking, laughing
Just another summer day
I hop in, he does too
creating a tidal wave of currents
Throwing water like we’re taking a dip in God’s swimming pool
We swim and throw footballs
having the best time of our lives
Just another summer day
“I’m getting bored,” we get a snack,
to be precise a warm soft pretzel with cheese dip
“Yummy” our stomachs howl in unison
Munching, crunching.
like a pack of coyotes
snacking on some unfortunate souls
“It’s a great summer day”
The tricky yellowjacket
Small but prepared
Ready to attack
Flies and flutters
performing somersaults in mid air.
onto my back
Antennae reaching around
Its slim, long legs
feeling me breathe.
streaking my neck
lines of yellow and black travel across the hairs on my neck
learning my movements.
watching my heart.
I reach and grab
The wasp shows its fierce stinger
“That beetle doesn’t look too friendly”
“Jerry, you’re not funny.” I exclaim, clueless to the demon behind me
With a needle of death
aimed to me
The look in all 1000 of its eyes was
“I’m gonna do it”
It burrows its stinger into my tissue
poking straight through it
Like scissors on wrapping paper
Gliding through until it reaches the end
I scream
Just another summer day
“AGGGGG!”
I yell, clutching my neck
As I lay there, aching
I’m grateful I wasn’t bitten by a spider
Those are a lot worse
For what I’ve heard