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