A sepal, petal, and a thorn
Upon a common summer's morn－
A flask of Dew－A Bee or two－
A Breeze－a caper in the trees－
And I'm a Rose!
Upon a common summer's morn－
A flask of Dew－A Bee or two－
A Breeze－a caper in the trees－
And I'm a Rose!
(F.25/J.19)
[1] A sepal, petal, a thorn:: a flower being cut to pieces.
[3, 5] Bee, Rose:: a hint on the rose-cutter bee. Bee also means a busy worker.
[4] Breeze, caper:: not the rose-cutter ant.
[5] I'm a Rose:: a hint on the rose-cutter bee. Rose also means a wonderful person.
The rose-cutter separates circular pieces from leaves with precision, and digging a hole 6 or 8 inches deep in the ground, the bee rolls up the leaf and depositing it in the hole, lodges and secures an egg in it with food for larvae when hatched, and often several, but all separated, and very perfect; and the bee then resides in the upper part to protect her brood. ─ A Million of Facts (1836)
The jaws act as a pair of scissors to the rose-cutter bee, which makes a nest of portions of leaves. She cuts off the pieces most accurately, forming what is like a set of thimbles put one on another, and enclosed in a case; and then she prepares a round piece to shut it, so that being filled with honey, and placed horizontally, not a drop can escape. "Truly," has it been remarked in reference to these creatures, "whether such a result is attained by instinctive or intellectual means, the glory is due to that Intelligence which maketh them and us." ─ The History of Insects (1839)