Bees, by Aileen Fisher
There wouldn’t be sunflowers,
It wouldn’t be peas,
It wouldn’t be apples,
On apple trees,
If it weren’t for fuzzy old,
Buzzy old bees,
Dusting pollen
From their knees
This lovely, simple poem by Aileen Fisher is a brilliant way to reflect on the importance of bees and how we can sometimes take them for granted.
The Last Bee, by Brian Bilston
After the last ee
had uzzed its last uzz,
the birds and the butterflies
did what they could.
But soon the fields lay are,
few flowers were left,
nature was broken,
And the planet left.
Perhaps this poem provides the most vivid imagery when reading. It showcases what the poem would be like without the letter ‘B,’ similar to a world where bee numbers aren’t as abundant in nature. If you feel inspired to take action, read this helpful advice, 7 Easy Ways, You Can Save the Bees and Pollinators.
From Winnie-the Pooh, by A. A. Milne
Isn’t it funny
How does a bear-like honey?
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
I wonder why he does.
One of the nation’s favorite bears brings us this short but light-hearted poem. The rhyming couplets and onomatopoeia features are enough to make any child or adult smile!
Fame is a Bee, by Emily Dickinson
Fame is a bee.
It has a song—
It has a sting—
Ah, too, it has a wing.
Emily Dickinson writes this poem as a metaphor for fame. Although she’s talking about bees, she’s using their features to compare them to something else – another topic she’s interested in.
It helps people to understand imagery that transcends word-for-word meanings.
Where Do Bees Go In Winter? By Jacqueline Jules
I love to watch the little bee,
Long before the winter cold.
She pounces on each petal
Like a hunter, quick and bold.
But the garden has no buzz
when the air is bitter cold.
Do bustling bees wilt away
like the yellow marigold?
I hope they hide in sturdy hives,
Where waxy walls keep out the cold,
and spend all winter sipping
The honey they guard like gold.
This poem is a great one to read during winter when thinking about the bee life cycle.
The Bee, by Margaret Morley
I AM a rollicking bumblebee.
I sail through the air as it pleases me.
I sail by the trees and around the flowers;
I love the sun and hate the showers.
I have a taste that does credit to me;
I never eat bread and such fiddle-dee-dee.
For honey and pollen’s the sensible food;
They favor digestion and suit the mood.
I sleep in my nest all winter long,
But rush fearlessly forth in the March wind’s song,
For I’m sure someone is waiting for me,
Since a hyacinth blue’s in love with this bee!
This poem is written as a first-person account, giving us an insight into what being a bee might feel like!
The Song of the Bee, by Marian Douglas
Buzz! buzz! buzz!
This is the song of the bee.
His legs are yellow;
A jolly, good fellow,
And yet a great worker is he.
On sunny days
He’s getting his honey;
On cloudy days
He’s making his wax:
On pinks and lilies,
And gay daffodillies,
And columbine blossoms,
He levies a tax!
Buzz! buzz! buzz!
The sweet-smelling clover,
He, humming, hangs over;
The scent of the roses
Makes fragrant his wings:
He never gets lazy;
From thistle and daisy,
And weeds of the meadow,
Some treasure he brings.
Buzz! buzz! buzz!
From morning’s first light
Till the coming of night,
He’s singing and toiling
The summer day through.
Oh! We may get weary,
And think work is dreary;
‘Tis harder by far
To have nothing to do.
It is a great example of a poem making people smile. It’s packed full of rhyme and imagery that spark visions of summertime and flowers blooming in nature.
