Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE PINEAPPLES AND THE BEE, by WILLIAM COWPER Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: The pineapples, in triple row Last Line: Can gather honey from a weed. Subject(s): Bees; Insects; Pineapples; Truth; Wisdom; Beekeeping; Bugs | ||||||||
THE Pineapples, in triple row, Were basking hot, and all in blow; A Bee of most discerning taste Perceived the fragrance as he passed; On eager wing the spoiler came, And searched for crannies in the frame, Urged his attempt on every side, To every pane his trunk applied; But still in vain, the frame was tight, And only pervious to the light; Thus having wasted half the day, He trimmed his flight another way. "Methinks," I said, "in thee I find The sin and madness of mankind. To joys forbidden man aspires, Consumes his soul with vain desires; Folly the spring of his pursuit, And disappointment all the fruit. While Cynthio ogles, as she passes, The nymph between two chariot glasses, She is the Pineapple, and he The silly unsuccessful Bee. The maid who views with pensive air The showglass fraught with glittering ware, Sees watches, bracelets, rings, and lockets, But sighs at thought of empty pockets; Like thine, her appetite is keen, But ah, the cruel glass between!" Our dear delights are often such, Exposed to view, but not to touch; The sight our foolish heart inflames, We long for pineapples in frames; With hopeless wish one looks and lingers; One breaks the glass, and cuts his fingers; But they whom Truth and Wisdom lead, Can gather honey from a weed. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE EXHAUSTED BUG; FOR MY FATHER by ROBERT BLY PLASTIC BEATITUDE by LAURE-ANNE BOSSELAAR BEETLE LIGHT; FOR DANIEL HILLEN by MADELINE DEFREES CLEMATIS MONTANA by MADELINE DEFREES THOMAS MERTON AND THE WINTER MARSH by NORMAN DUBIE A COMPARISON by WILLIAM COWPER |
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