Between 1919 and 1959, humblebees became known as bumblebees. Some say the name-shifting influence was the advancement of aeronautics. Smooth airplane take-offs made the bee look lurchy, unfocused…bumbling. I prefer the nomenclatures of humblebees that do the repetitive work for fruit. I pay the respect every gardener owes the pollinator. Usages evolve. Confederate flags off the pole tuck away in museums. I might live to see the Edmund Pettis Bridge with a new name. As spirits rise in the golden sun.
By Tricia Knoll
Tricia Knoll is a Vermont eco-poet. Her work appears widely in journals and anthologies. Her collections include Urban Wild, Ocean’s Laughter, Broadfork Farm and How I Learned to Be White. For more poems, see triciaknoll.com