Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Carol Frost's poem "Apiary IX" delves into themes of memory, loss, and the fragmented nature of the self, using the imagery of bees and the natural world to explore the speaker's relationship with their mother. The poem interweaves personal reflection with vivid descriptions of a late summer hive and the surrounding environment, creating a layered meditation on the complexities of identity and remembrance.

The poem begins with a stark image: "Two anthills and a late summer hive gone to fragments." This scene sets the stage for a meditation on decay and the passage of time. The contrast between the "acrid" dirt and "honeyed" wax introduces the idea of opposing forces coexisting, much like the mind's ability to compartmentalize and create order out of chaos. The speaker reflects on this cognitive process, noting how the mind "makes laws, dividing seasons, scents, light and light's reflections." This act of division and categorization is a way to make sense of the world, yet it also highlights the artificial nature of these distinctions.

The speaker's declaration, "I have no mother," is met with a contradiction: "Yes, you have a mother, a voice said. But that is not right." This internal dialogue reveals the speaker's struggle to reconcile the reality of their mother's absence with their ongoing need to define and understand their identity. The mother's "difference" is depicted through striking images: "a broken hive ... a black bear in the bluebells clawing the stinging air ... something torn from her." These images evoke a sense of violence and disruption, suggesting a deep wound in the speaker's psyche.

Despite this turmoil, the land offers solace: "Still, the land soothes me / No one may come—: low sun, dusk, and charred trees." The landscape, with its "charred trees" that seem to glow as they darken, mirrors the speaker's inner state—a blend of beauty and desolation. The metaphor of autumn burning serves as a poignant reflection on the inevitability of change and decay.

The poem's contemplative tone shifts as the speaker acknowledges the comfort found in small deceptions: "And if I want it otherwise, O self, there's beauty in small lies." This line suggests a coping mechanism, a way to find beauty in the act of self-deception. The speaker imagines bees licking nectar after dark and bringing it to the honey tree, a harmless and soothing thought that contrasts with the harsher realities they face.

The return to the theme of the mother is marked by a mix of tenderness and grief. The speaker recalls their mother hearing "ambient grief" and reciting lines from Schiller in her earlier German tongue. The interaction between mother and child is fraught with miscommunication and longing: "Where were you? I'll ask. Wer bist du? she'll say." This exchange highlights the distance between them, both physically and emotionally, as they navigate the "winter in voices" and the "inner darkness" that surrounds them.

The poem concludes with a poignant reflection on time and memory. The speaker recounts telling their mother, "there is no twenty on the clock, don't worry," and her response, "how little it takes to finish ... What?" This exchange underscores the fragility of life and the inevitability of its end. The final images of "apricot flowers ... bees circling ... throbbing wings... buzzing..." evoke a sense of perpetual motion and the cyclical nature of existence.

"Apiary IX" is a deeply introspective poem that uses the metaphor of bees and the natural world to explore themes of loss, memory, and identity. Frost's use of vivid imagery and evocative language creates a rich tapestry of emotion and reflection, capturing the complexities of the speaker's inner world and their ongoing struggle to reconcile with their past. The poem's structure, with its fluid transitions and layered images, mirrors the fragmented nature of memory and the intricate dance between reality and perception.

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