How To Recognize A Human Killer Bee In Honeybee Drag Poem by Alla Bozarth

Human killer bees in honeybee drag
are not easily recognized, but there are
a few clues—

if they have a long list of previous
grievances against other human beings
(sooner or later they will create a way
to add your name to the list)

if they often bring up old hurts
from the deep past
(especially under present stress
which they cannot differentiate
from past trauma)

if they don’t appear to have many friends,
especially close and long-term friends

if they spend much time defending
their rightness

if they tend to write letters of closure
that read like epistles of correction
(some vicious and some merely
offensive and scolding)

if they ask you to put on a shield of immunity
so they can treat you badly with impunity

if they over-dramatize their own emotions
at the expense of others

if they refuse to be further confused by facts

if they are heavily invested in their delusions
and broken perceptions

if they defend their private fears and fantasies
against past and present reality—

they may be persons who bring others harm.

This is a partial list of signs.
Refer and add to them as needed.

Keep open and consider the possibilities
before giving too much time, energy or affection to them.
Reconsider any new situation’s call for revision
in time, energy and affection already given,
for future adjustment.

You may be inclined to give too much credit
to those whom you love. Remember that they are human,
but do not let them harm you too much, which means,
repeatedly. Forgive once, go the second mile, but if
you are dealing with a human killer bee in honeybee drag,
you are in the scope of a vampire pirate,
who will drain you, sting you and steal from you.

If you’ve been deeply wounded once and you have forgiven,
and in the second round you’ve been nearly murdered,
it’s guaranteed a third time will do you in.

You are not asked to subject yourself to anger,
aggression and malice. You are only asked to give others
a reasonable chance, and not to return anger, aggression and malice,
but to recognize the limitations of others, and forgive them
without allowing them a way to harm their souls further
by causing more harm to you—
as you create a way to move realistically into freedom.

This poem is from the book, Purgatory Papers by Alla Renée Bozarth,
copyright 2011. All rights reserved.