Comparing a collection of six poems by Jo Shapcott : I Tell The Bees, The Threshold, The Hive, Going About With The Bees, CCD and The Sting. Although they share the same theme “Bees”, they each give a different insight. The first poem I Tell Bees has very interesting puns and gives insight on the curiosity humans have towards bees as well as the obsession for men to control the hives. The second poem The Threshold depicts a side of bees that we do not know well, which is by their means of communication, the poem is on itself based as an extended metaphor to incorporate the reader through their ways and at times makes the reader feel uncomfortable as the bees “dance” on their face. The third and fourth poem The Hive and Going About With Bees are very similar to the previous poem as they recount the structure of the hive through an extended metaphor which embodies a human being, the author also incorporates pertinent and accurate references to bi-products of honey to show how similar the hive is to the human body since we both live in it, it’s also a very empowering poem as it shows the queen – a woman- to be at the top of the hierarchy. The two last poems CCD and The Sting take another approach to the depiction of bees, those poems are the finishing touch to give a true representation of bees, they might seem innocent and helpful, but when the time comes they can also be dangerous. The Sting uses longer sentences and emphasises their power through sharp sounding alliterations and repetitions. CCD is written in short lines to give a concise and emotional representation of the importance of bees, the author uses various assonances to keep a steady and catchy rhythm.
