'Bee Charmer' Poem by Whitney Nicole Albright*

I walked on down that narrow, paved road today
My eyes caught the open little space in the thickets
Before I went on about my way
I stopped and listened to those old crickets
I thought about your sweet familiar self
How you would walk up the road in your guard
You would protect yourself
As you walked across the yard
You’d set on the table that mason jar of honey
So thick and sticky it almost hid the comb
Maw-Maw would wipe the jar because it was runny
You’d always bring some home
Now my old bee charmer’s left this world for Glory
And left those old bees behind
But to my kids I’ll pass on that story
That’s embedded deep in my mind
They still cover this hard ground, those bees,
When those green clovers bloom
They probably swarm from Tennessee
And even end up in heaven, I assume
My Grandfather may have been an old farmer
Walking around Alabama in his straw hat
But I’ll never forget my bee charmer
He’s bringing home the honey in heaven, count on that!