If

		
If you can keep your bees when those about you
   Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can find the queen when others doubt you
   But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can feed and not get tired of feeding,
   Of being stung and not give way to flinching;
Be quick to help and slow to give advice,
   And tempted not to look too good nor talk to wise;

If you can dream that next year will be better;
   If you can think when looking at a frame;
If you can meet with beetles and varroa
   And treat these two vexations just the same;
If you can bear to see a strong hive swarming,
   Flying by the trap you carefully set,
And watch the girls you gave your all to, leaving
   For nests uncharted and unknown  … and yet

If you can watch a weak hive dwindling
   And know it’s going to be a loss,
And grieve and feel your heart strings shrinking,
   Yet know the girls are still the final boss;
If you can force your will and nerve and sinew
   To serve you, long after all the bees have gone
And hold on when there is nothing in you,
   Except the love which says to them, ‘Hold on;’

If you can talk with groups and keep your virtue
   Or raise new queens but keep the common touch;
If neither drones nor workers  find rare favor
   If all bee species count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving bee house
   With sixty thousands bodies having fun, 
Yours is the earth and everyone applauds you -
  a beekeeper - when all is said and done.