The Bee by Emily Dickinson (1890)
This poem explores the themes of mortality and the fleeting nature of life through the metaphor of a bee's brief existence. The speaker reflects on how the bee's life is marked by its busy activity, but ultimately ends in death. The poem suggests that human life is similarly short-lived and ephemeral, with our own activities and pursuits being mere distractions from the inevitability of death.
By Emily Dickinson · First published 1890 · Genre: Poetry, Nature, Symbolism · 129 words
First lines
Like trains of cars on tracks of plush I hear the level bee: A jar across the flowers goes, Their velvet masonry
Withstands until the sweet assault Their chivalry consumes, While he, victorious, tilts away To vanquish other blooms.
His feet are shod with gauze, His helmet is of gold; His breast, a single onyx With chrysoprase, inlaid.
His labor is a chant, His idleness a tune; Oh, for a bee's experience Of clovers and of noon!
What this Textopian page supports
The Bee is listed on Textopian as a poem by Emily Dickinson, dated 1890 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Emily Dickinson
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Nature, Symbolism, Imagery, Romanticism
- Length: 129 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, utilizing rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Nature — The poem focuses on the natural world, specifically the behavior and characteristics of a bee.
- Symbolism — The bee is used as a symbol to explore themes of labor, beauty, and nature.
- Imagery — Rich visual descriptions are employed to evoke the sensory experience of observing a bee.
Tags
Poetry · Nature · Insect · Symbolism · Mortality · Life · Death · Existentialism · Philosophy · Imagery · Metaphor · Allegory