
The Bee Keeper’s Wife
The clock strikes five and he goes to be with
her, to watch how she moves, feel how she fusses
mere inches from his skin.
I wait for him to come with his excuses:
it was a long day at the office, he needed to get
some air.
We labour each to an endless cause, yet
I know mine holds no grace, know my toil
isn’t noticed. Like the bags laid packed
at our door.
So taken with her delicate wings, he never
paid heed to my flight path.
illustration by Sarah Hasty Williams

Claire Loader is a New Zealand born writer and photographer now living in County Galway, Ireland. Her work has appeared in various publications, including Crannóg, The Cormorant & Crossways. You can find her on Twitter @msloader or at www.allthefallingstones.com.
"The Bee Keeper's Wife" is featured in Canopic Jar 35: An Anthology