The Pitcher Plant - A Poem

Rinita is a creative writer, with focus on poetry. She delves into several forms including Haiku/Senryu, Sonnets, Free Verse, and Prose.

Background

This poem is about realizing that when someone does something that doesn't seem right to you at the first glance, when you dig deeper you may often find that there was a purpose behind that action, and that realization is all that it takes to have a heart to forgive them.

It is a story about a pair of bumble bees who love and live a happy life, until one day one of them is eaten by a pitcher plant. The bereaved bee mourns his companion's death, but realizes in the end that it was only natural for the pitcher plant to hunt for its food, and that enables him to die a peaceful death by forgiving the so called murderer plant.

The Poem

I

They flew side by side

In a stream of sanctity

Love bloomed on their wings

That could last an eternity

Through the woods they sang

Merry tunes of jolly days

Upon flowers they perched

Their wings in colorful ways

From brown trunks to green leaves

They swayed with shining glee

Among friends and no foes

They vowed to raise a family

II

He broke away in search of sweet

Honey for his little dear ones

While she surfed in the lights

To reach the flock of flora that stuns

The beautiful pitcher opened its arms

And invited the luckless bee within

Down she went rapid and weak

Her screams drowned with her skin

He sensed a misgiving, and flew

Toward the satisfied, ruthless pitcher

He sat and wept till the curtains drew

The moon shone on the plant richer

III

The young ones grew free and fresh

With sweet nectar spreading joy

The old bee still pined in the forest

Building a shrine of the pitcher convoy

Until under one bright full moon

His strength seemed to give away

Young bees gathered, and asked “Dear,

What made you prolong your stay?”

He shot a weak glance at the pitcher

And explained in a wise, somber tone,

“Just as we rob the nectar from the flower,

We are their food, so leave them alone.”

© 2012 Rinita Sen

Comments

Rinita Sen (author) on September 11, 2020:

Thank you John. I appreciate you heartfelt comment.

John Hansen from Gondwana Land on September 11, 2020:

Rinita, please accept my condolences for the passing of your mother in law. Good to see you are slowly getting back to HubPages, and it is often good to visit some of people’s older works.

Rinita Sen (author) on September 11, 2020:

I'm glad to see you, John. Thank you for visiting one of my older poems. I've been away from HP for a few months due do a death in the family (my mom-in-law). I'm getting back slowly and beginning to read all my favorite authors here again. Hope to post something soon. Hope all is well with you.

John Hansen from Gondwana Land on September 10, 2020:

Such a brilliantly unique but sad story important this poem, Rinita. I Was going to ask how I missed this, but see it was written long before I knew you. Anyway, I really enjoyed it. Hope all is well with you.

Rinita Sen (author) on May 30, 2013:

Thank you for your thoughtful comment Ausseye.

Ausseye on May 30, 2013:

Hi SenoritaaChaCha:

I am enthralled by your buzzy poem so full of life

A bee by any other name will be so wise

A drop of nectar is the green, green earth

And we rob its soul to make a world

Of steel, uranium and “Super Hornets “

With Syrian intent……..what a world we weave

Perhaps the wings of an angle

We face the universe.

Rinita Sen (author) on March 22, 2013:

Thanks again Jo.

Jo_Goldsmith11 on March 22, 2013:

Wow! This is amazing work! I hope you will send me an e-mail.

This is awesome! I would like to share with you about how you can have

your work published! :) Voted up, awesome and beautiful. Will continue to tweet this too. Amazing! :)

Rinita Sen (author) on February 22, 2012:

Thanks a ton lyricwriter. Am glad you liked the poem. Hope things are great with you as well. Take care.

Richard Ricky Hale from West Virginia on February 22, 2012:

What a beautiful poem Senoritaa. Your pictures go perfect with the poem. You have a special talent for poetry. They are unique and creative. Hope all is well and you have a great day! Take care:)

Rinita Sen (author) on February 20, 2012:

Thanks Sueswan for reading. Yeah pitcher plants are deadly for insects, they are some of the most popular carnivorous plants. Have a great day.

Sueswan on February 19, 2012:

Hi Senorita

Beautiful filled with insight and wisdom.

I was not familiar with the pitcher plant. I read that small frogs will hide in pitcher plants and eat the flies that are attracted to the plant.

Voted up and away

Have a good evening.

Rinita Sen (author) on February 13, 2012:

Thanks a lot Phoebe. Glad you liked it.

Rinita Sen (author) on February 13, 2012:

Thank you savanah. Appreciate your sincere comment.

savanahl on February 13, 2012:

Very nicely written. Your poetry is so beautiful.

Phoebe Pike on February 13, 2012:

This is a wonderful poem. Very unique and unlike many other poems I have read, it is unpredictable. I love it.

Rinita Sen (author) on February 07, 2012:

Thank you dayzeebee for that heartfelt comment. Have a great day.

dayzeebee from Cebu, Philippines on February 06, 2012:

Ah yes, how much we can learn from the magnitude of wisdom displayed by "little things" many fail to observe. Beautiful. Voting up and sharing. Blessings:)

Rinita Sen (author) on February 05, 2012:

Thanks a lot Audrey for the appreciation. Means a lot coming from you whose work I really admire.

Audrey Howitt from California on February 05, 2012:

I love your work! Really a nice piece--sad little bee

Rinita Sen (author) on February 02, 2012:

Thanks a lot Raci. Yes you are right, the good God made them all! :)

raciniwa from Talisay City, Cebu on February 01, 2012:

heart rending poem...oh, i love the beautiful pictures, it reminds me how lucky we are to be in awe with this wonderful works of creation...

Rinita Sen (author) on January 31, 2012:

Thanks a lot Nitya. Glad you liked it. Thanks again for the votes.

nityanandagaurang on January 31, 2012:

very beautiful poem Senoritaa.the meaning of poem very deep and heart touching.voted up.

Rinita Sen (author) on January 30, 2012:

Ye exactly, and its better to learn to accept it than fight it. Thanks for your insight Nikki.

Beautiful Garbage from Louisiana on January 30, 2012:

A Kind of survival of the fittest moral to this poem. We are all on the food chain in one way or another. The circle of life.

Rinita Sen (author) on January 30, 2012:

Your comment means a lot to me. I have been so inspired by so many of your works. Thanks sofs! Let's continue spreading the love and the joy. Take care!

Sophie on January 30, 2012:

What a message of love... oftentimes this is what we need to hear.. we are all part of the chain called life and one man's love is another man's food.. but yet life and love flows on... Beautiful! Senorita.. you have done it again. Voting it as beautiful and awesome! Have a lovely day, my dear!

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

Thank you so much Dee for that wonderful comment. Pitcher plants are truly beautiful, despite their carnivorous nature.

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

Thanks Rosemay. Glad you liked the message behind the poem.

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

Thanks a bunch AE. I am glad the essence of the poem struck you. Once again thanks for reading.

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

Thanks a lot Vinaya. Your heartfelt comment is much appreciated.

Dee42 from Beautiful Arkansas on January 29, 2012:

How beautiful! And you made this poem so interesting on that plant. I was looking at the awesome photos and that one photo the plant looks like it has a mouth. I loved it. Voted up.

Rosemary Sadler from Hawkes Bay - NewZealand on January 29, 2012:

A beautiful poem with a wonderful message

Loved the images

Ruby Jean Richert from Southern Illinois on January 29, 2012:

This is very unique. I loved it. I felt sad for the old Bee, yet his forgiving heart was touching. The pictures were perfect. Thank you.

Vinaya Ghimire from Nepal on January 29, 2012:

I loved the uniform rhythm in your poem. The images you present here are very beautiful.

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

Thanks a ton Eddy. Always appreciated. Have a great day.

Eiddwen from Wales on January 29, 2012:

So very very beautiful my friend and a very just deserved 'up up and away!!'.

Take care;

Eddy.

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

Ah! Thank you Frank. Your comment made me smile :)

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

That's such a huge compliment ytsenoh. Emily Dickinson is one of my all-time favorite poets. Thank you so much!

Frank Atanacio from Shelton on January 29, 2012:

Senoritaa Im just going to say it..this was fantastic!!!! :) Frank

Cathy from Louisiana, Idaho, Kauai, Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri on January 29, 2012:

Wonderfully written and the nature of it as well as the nature in it reminded me of Dickinson to some extent. Thank you.

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

Thank you Caroline. Your visit is always appreciated.

Caroline Marie on January 29, 2012:

Beautiful poem Senoritaa and the photos are amazing! Voted up!

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

You are right Shalom. Truth is often different that what it seems, but we must learn to accept it rather than hold grudges against it. Thank you for reading. Your visit is always appreciated.

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

Hi Quill, nice to see you always. Your comments really make me feel precious.

It could've been any insect, I don't know why I chose bees, just came to my mind. Sorry that you are allergic.

Have a great day!

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

Thanks a lot Debbie for brightening my day with your comment.

Dawn on January 29, 2012:

Senoritaa.. this is down to earth truth...what we think had nectar and what opened its arms to us, is the trap set for us... The cruel side of life.. and yet it is the way life is. Beautifully painted word pictures.. loved the imagery and the harsh but practical fact of life. Have a blessed day! Shalom!

Last Scribe on January 29, 2012:

I'm in love with your writing. The words you use and the way you structure them are... magnificent. Honestly, it felt like I was reading a movie, lol if that makes sense at all. The words are black on a white page, but the way you string them together make them so much more. I'm allergic to bees, but you made them look like majestic creatures. Deadly, but majestic. :)

-Quill

Deborah Brooks Langford from Brownsville,TX on January 29, 2012:

this was beautifully done.. awesome poem and story.. thank you .. voted up

debbie

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

Thank you Siddhartha. Appreciate your visit.

SiddharthaChouhan from Dehradun on January 29, 2012:

beautiful work!!!

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

Thanks a lot Crystar for the votes of confidence. I am glad you liked it.

Crystar on January 29, 2012:

Another amazing work of yours, Senoritaa! I voted up, awesome & beautiful.

Rinita Sen (author) on January 29, 2012:

Thank you Rahul. I am humbled by your opinion on my poetry. Happy to know you liked it.

Jessee R from Gurgaon, India on January 29, 2012:

beautiful poem! Another one of great works.Needless to say I am inspired by you here. Very insightful, it urges me to think beyond the normal expanses of human nature.

Excellent thoughts! hats off