tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post3153725442748739358..comments2024-03-28T14:04:54.557-07:00Comments on the prowling Bee: I stole them from a Bee –Susan Kornfeldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-15137819708698034802023-01-29T10:48:05.994-08:002023-01-29T10:48:05.994-08:00Ooops, just checked the archive. Change that "...Ooops, just checked the archive. Change that "dear Sue" to "dear Sam" (Bowles).Larry Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-57731841540556648052023-01-29T07:26:57.524-08:002023-01-29T07:26:57.524-08:00During the 1660s, Jan Swammerdam discovered that t...During the 1660s, Jan Swammerdam discovered that the “king bee” was actually a queen bee, but he did not publish his discovery. Even during ED’s lifetime it was still not common public knowledge that all bees are females, except for a few males that have short lives, one purpose, and no control over the complicated biology of bee society. Political correctness might have had something to do with that misconception.<br /><br />https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Swammerdam<br /><br />Maderspacher, F. 2007. All the Queen’s Men, Current Biology, 17 (6): R191-R195. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982207009943<br /><br />An interpretation of this poem:<br /><br />I stole these sweet pea flowers from a Bee<br />Because, dear Sue,<br />I knew it would be easier to get forgiveness<br />Than to get permission from a bee!<br />Larry Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-51091699895903937402017-04-28T19:14:02.812-07:002017-04-28T19:14:02.812-07:00The worker honey bees are all females. Only males...The worker honey bees are all females. Only males are the drones, who have one function. So, I don't think the poem is saying the bee pardoned her. The object stolen was most likely a flower and it may reflect on how perfect a person she was, that her only transgression was taking a flower.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-45148819896051800052013-06-11T08:19:57.992-07:002013-06-11T08:19:57.992-07:00One thing I love about Dickinson is her elevation ...One thing I love about Dickinson is her elevation of the bee. He is the June bee of heaven, he is the suitor circling his flower, he is God himself, he is the preacher, he is the emblem of spring, and here he is the master of the meadow from whom permission/forgiveness must be granted. So, yes, I think in a way her thoughts and poems do stem from the bee.<br />Thanks for your comment!Susan Kornfeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-69443932283274188732013-06-11T05:24:14.597-07:002013-06-11T05:24:14.597-07:00I like both interpretations--the sweet plea interp...I like both interpretations--the sweet plea interpretation and the pleading interpretation.<br /><br />Can't help but wonder if she also meant,<br /><br />Because, can't you see,<br />please understand,<br />He let me!<br /><br />So, her inner thoughts and subsequent poems stem from the bee, and the reader (or inquisitor/judge) must understand that the Bee forgives her transgression in stealing his buzzing, sting, or "existence?" for thematic or stylistic reasons.Zefirinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05826052577521342639noreply@blogger.com