The present unprecedented succession of frosty nights and clear, sunny days, seems greatly to have mystified the bee nation. In sunlit gardens, devoid of flowers, bees sit idly about on twigs and fences, wearing an air of utter bewilderment. An occasional butterfly is also seen.

Hanging about with their hands in their pockets,
   Sitting around in the sun,
A couple of bees were taking their ease
   This morn when the day had begun.
And they looked forlorn on this sunlit morn,
   In my garden, ravished of flowers,
So, "Pardon," said I.  "Will you tell me why
   You idle away the hours?
And one sat -- HERE,
   And the other sat -- THERE.
And regarded the world with a mystified stare.

With a listless expression, "It's just the depession,"
   The first bee said, with a sob,
"Did you ever," said he, "see an idle bee
   When a bee had a chance of a job?
We are here because economical laws
   Seem very upset indeed,
And the job is denied."  But the second bee cried,
   "Oh, please, sir!  Spare us a feed!"
And one sat -- HERE,
   And the other sat -- THERE,
And begged for a meal, if I'd one to spare.

"It may seem to you strange that a bee should be begging,"
   Hastily said bee two;
"But with nights a-freeze and such days as these,
   Well, what is a bee to do?
For there's never a sup --"  But I cried, "Cheer up!"
  And I went to the house and got,
From the larder's hoard, where the sweets are stored,
   Some honey we kept in a pot.
And as one sat -- HERE,
   And the other sat -- THERE,
I left them alone each to gobble his share.

I, being inquisitive, went to revisit
   Those bees I had made so glad.
They were both stone dead!  Most messily spread
   In the honey.  I felt quite sad.
But a flash butterfly, who was fluttering by,
   Seemed curiously annoyed.
"It's outrageous!" she said, with a toss of her head.
   "That's the worst of these unemployed."
But one lay -- HERE,
   And the other lay -- THERE,
And both seemed utterly shorn of care.

"Den"
Herald, 7 June 1934, p6