Doshi only specifies that "Wasps at the Faucet" takes place in February at dusk. The poet hints at a tropical setting by saying that the wasps "collect water to cool their nests" (3). While wasps could approach human settlements in cities, other images in this poem suggest a more rural setting. For example, natural elements such as "acres of low / grass" and "the beginnings of a silver tooth / of moon" prompt the speaker to continue surviving (13–15). In addition, the poem deals with the theme of survival in terms of accessing water.