Dickinson's Bees

 

Emily Dickinson had a fascination with bees, and she wrote numerous poems about them. In the poems about bees (and in poems where they are briefly mentioned), Dickinson uses them to represent experience, wisdom, and poetry. 

For example, in stanza 4 of "It will be summer – eventually" (F374) she uses Bees as an illustration for poetry, wisdom, and shared experiences. Dickinson introduces this illusion by stating that the Bees choose to “not despise the tune— / Their Forefathers—have hummed” (Dickinson, lines 11-12). The reference to the tune hummed by the Bees’ ancestors can be seen as a parallel to the way older generations often have an understanding of the difficulties younger people go through, and they seek to share the wisdom they gleaned from the experience. Oftentimes, younger generations tend to ignore the wisdom from the older generations, but Dickinson’s Bees do not do this. Instead, the Bees choose to embrace the shared tune of their Forefathers, indicating that they are open to sharing the experience.

This theme of experience briefly shows up again in "Except to Heaven, she is nought" (F173), when the poem makes a reference to "some wide-wandering Bee" (Dickinson, line 3), creating a contrast between the stationary Housewife and the bee that has traveled and experienced things that the Housewife never can from her own home.

Another poem of hers that makes this specific connection is “His Feet are shod with Gauze” (F979) which says, “His Labor is a Chant – / His Idleness – a Tune – / Oh, for a Bee’s experience / Of Clovers, and of Noon!” (Dickinson, lines 5-8). With the parallel to shared experiences between generations in mind, the Forefathers of the Bees can be seen to represent the poets who have lived before and have written poetry about their experiences in order to share their wisdom about the human condition with future generations. When this parallel is paired with the reminder that Bees’ purpose is to produce honey, the ‘sweetness’ that the image of honey creates can be connected to how poetry can provide solace and wisdom to those who need it the most. 

In "The nearest Dream recedes – unrealized" (F304), bees and honey are once again used to represent these concepts of poetry, experience, and wisdom:

The nearest Dream recedes – unrealized –
The Heaven we chase –
Like the June Bee – before the School Boy –

Invites the Race –

Stoops – to an easy Clover –

Dips – evades – teazes – deploys –

Then – to the Royal Clouds

Lifts his light Pinnace –

Heedless of the Boy –

Staring – bewildered – at the mocking sky –

Homesick for steadfast Honey –

Ah – the Bee flies not

That brews that rare variety!

                                    (Dickinson 135)

In this instance, the School Boy is chasing the Bee, but it continues to evade him, similarly to how poets often chase inspiration for their poetry. The Boy is "Homesick for steadfast Honey" (Dickinson, line 11) or the inspiration that will stay and continue to give the sweetness that poetry provides. The entire purpose of the poem hinges of lines 12-13: "Ah – the Bee flies not / That brews that rare variety" (Dickinson 135), indicating that the Bee is not the one that 'brews' the 'rare variety' of figurative Honey that the Boy is in search of––it is poetry, written by poets that the Boy desires. 

Works Cited:
Dickinson, Emily. The Poems of Emily Dickinson. Edited by Ralph W. Franklin, Belknap Press of Harvard Univ. Press, 1998.