I saw a big grey paper ball hanging in a little tree, and with hearts in our throats, we took a couple of pictures while I noted where we were for future reference. Hornets are notorious for having bad tempers and being unforgiving so we gave them nothing to vent on and left as quietly as we could. Enjoy!

Hornets

Big grey wrinkled ball in a small spindly tree,

Full of bad-tempered hornets, staring at me.

Up under the bluffs safe from rain, snow, or wind,

In wood-paper condo, not one is a friend.

Standing all quiet, my breath soft as can be,

Do not want these bad boys to chase little me.

Numbers in hundreds, can see them so clearly,

No desire to disturb, oh no, not nearly.

Wife and I catch view of nature seldom seen,

Mostly because these little bastards are mean.

On tippy-toes, we sneak right on through the wood,

Leaving them all alone like sane people should.

Take us some pictures, and mark down where they’re at,

One thing for sure, we did not take time to chat.

Come back in the winter, for a safe close-up view,

While they snooze in their fortress as black hornets do.

Then I’ll leave them be, they’ve got their place, me mine,

We stick to our own lives, that suits me just fine.

I’ve got my piece of woods, thankfully not too near

Hornets live in this part I’ll remember it’s here.