The Bee

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 Asault
Their Chivalry consumes -
While He, victorious tilts away
To vanquish other Blooms

-- Emily Dickinson


His Feet are shod with Gauze -
His Helmet, is of Gold,
His Breast, a single Onys
With Chrysophras, inlaid -

His Labor is a Chant -
His Idleness - a Tune -
Oh, for a Bee's experience
Of Clovers, and of Noon!

--Emily Dickinson

For some reason these poems are often smashed together into one. In reality the second one here was written in 1865 while the first one was written in 1871. I don't know when or why they came to be put together (particularly given that they weren't assembled in chronological order so it seems unlikely that Dickinson herself was intending to expand on one or the other). I am a big fan of Emily Dickinson. I finally broke down this summer and bought The Poems of Emily Dickinson edited by R.W. Franklin. It is a gorgeous hardcover collection of all of her work. So lovely.

I don't have a particular reason for sharing a picture of a bee today. I was just looking through the photos I took in Lacombe and this one struck my fancy. I have an affinity for bees. This isn't because I really like them. In fact, despite having never been stung, I am rather skittish whenever I hear buzzing near my head. Rather, my nickname in high school was Bee. Some of my best friends still call me that. Now one cannot have a nickname like that and not be associated with the insect, so I have recieved many cards with bees or little knick knacky bee items with phrases like "bee happy" and "bee yourself". As a result I have a bit of an affection for bees. And to be quite honest, they do look pretty cool. Plus I think these tiny purple flowers are adorable and very very pretty.