Engulfed

observations of a dumb mistake

To rid of hornets
A mistake I made
Sprayed a spray I'd never sprayed
Unread ingredients lax was I

Sprayed the spray onto the nest
By light of midnight moon
Struck a match put to the nest
Flames jumped high into the sky

Carried water the whole night long
Never ending trips
Dawn's early light long to come
Finally the rising sun

Smokey steam rose in the air
Gloomy greeting on beautiful day
Hornets nest no longer standing
Nor it's resting place

Author's Note

I have to wonder. As I was on my way out to spray the nest a tree frog was sitting on the rails of my pickup. Cute enough that I took his picture. He disappeared between then and when I moved the truck out of range. Later while carrying water I observed myself being observed by a spring frog. I think perhaps they were trying to warn me?

Reviews

[A.Lee]

I absolutely love tree frogs. Nice work on this one. I could visualize everything as if I were there.

[Coyote Poetry]

I learn something everyday. Fire and wasp spray don't mix. I like the poem. Tree frogs are very . Their calmness is very cool. A excellent poem.
Coyote

[Wicahpi]

They probably were :)

But, even as terrible as this is, I can't help but giggle,
because I'd be one to do something as crazy (by accident)
but not reading the instructions (as my honey always says
I should "READ THE MANUAL" hahaha) anyways...I've had
my share of Oops ... Glad you are okay !! Maybe you aren't
aren't supposed to move???

[Ashley.M.E]

This is really good, Well done.

[Alice_In_WhateverLand]

I love how you can turn something from an everyday event into a fantastic poem :) great work here Norma, i really enjoyed this! :) x

[Art Sun]

I guess you did some major damage...nice poem...

[Anthony M Smith Jr]

The frog was probably upset you killed his next meal(s). When I was young my uncles hated bee's and when ever the bee's would come around or build a nest they would make me remove the bee's and I would take the hive to a different place amongst a area full of flowers. I used smoke to calm them and cover the hive so they thought it was night time and move them without being stung. Three years later I was on a vision quest and got blessed by a bee. Now the bee's are becoming extinct and snakes. The natural food chain is disrupted and soon we will feel its wrath. Sorry, sometimes I seem to ramble on.
Life and light to you and yours!
TT-TTO-NI-K
Elk

[Fabian G. Franklin]

If you simply spray gasoline onto the nest it will kill the hornets, no need to set it on fire. I wonder what was in that stuff! I've killed lot of bees, being allergic like I am, we had the Japanese hornets, over two inches long and big around as a nickel...that's a BIG bee!