Gerald Stern

By Mark Jackley

No one but the bee,

and maybe not even him,

knows where he is going

as he zips, loops,

pauses to catch his breath.

Bees breathe, yes?

Imagine how small that is.

Close your eyes.

The poem can wait.

Mark Jackley is the author of several chapbooks and two full-length collections, most recently Hello Hello Hello (Blurb Press). His work has appeared in Tampa Review, Melic, Crate, Talking River, Sugar House Review, and other journals. He lives in Sterling, Virginia.