The poem tells the story of a dying woman who warns her children to tell the bees about her passing, so they can be informed and take care of themselves after she's gone. The bees are seen as a symbol of community and industry, and the woman's concern for their well-being reflects her own sense of responsibility towards them.
By John Greenleaf Whittier · First published 1838 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric, Romanticism