Essay Questions

How does Baxter use military imagery in Wild Bees?

Wild Bees is a poem about a group of friends who attempt to smoke out a bee's nest to get their honey. Baxter uses military imagery in order to capture the resilience and strength of the bees he witnessed on that day. The bees who first spot the attack are described as "sentries," suggesting that the bees are incredibly protective of their hive and honey. The words "wounded", "plundering, "stabbed," and "raiders" also suggest a form of battle, as the bees bravely defend their home. Ultimately, the men win the battle, as the "maimed bees" groaned, the men" drew out our plunder."

In At Days Bay, how does Baxter explore the theme of transformation?

This poem is largely about the transformation of the speaker, who was once a "sad boy." At the end of the poem, the speaker tells us that he is grateful that he "did not blow out his brains," despite the fact he had no hope. At the beginning of the poem, now the speaker has matured, we see that the tone is much calmer. The speaker lies on a beach "after looking at old poems," watching the tide ebb and flow peacefully.

The setting of this poem is significant to the theme of transformation, as it is a coastal setting and is therefore between two different states. This could perhaps represent that the speaker lives in constant comparison of the present to his past, and in a state of reflection and contemplation, he exists between these two states. The references to waves, which move in and out, and a "treadmill" also suggests the movement of time.