Description

Book Synopsis

‘Swooningly glorious’ The Times

‘Indisputably her best volume’ Sunday Times

The Bees is Carol Ann Duffy’s first collection of poems as Poet Laureate. In it she uses her full poetic range: there are drinking songs, love poems, poems of political anger; there are elegies, too, for beloved friends, and – most movingly – the poet’s own mother.

Woven and weaving through the book is its presiding spirit: the bee. Sometimes the bee is Duffy’s subject, sometimes it strays into the poem, or hovers at its edge. In the end, Duffy’s point is clear: the bee symbolizes what we have left of grace in the world, and what is most precious and necessary for us to protect. The Bees, at once intimate and public, is a work of great power from one of our most cherished poets.



Trade Review
Beautiful and moving poetry for the real world -- Jeanette Winterson * Guardian *
Wonderful . . . a poet alert to every sound and shape of language * Sunday Telegraph *
Duffy is magnificent, grounded, heartfelt, dedicated to the notion that poetry can give us the music of life itself * Scotsman *

The Bees

    Product form

    A Paperback / softback by Carol Ann Duffy, DBE

    £10.44

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    RRP £10.99 – you save £0.55 (5%)

    Order before 4pm tomorrow for delivery by Wed 30 Sep 2026.

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      Book details

      Publisher Pan Macmillan
      Published 21 September 2017
      ISBN-13 9781509852925
      978-1509852925
      ISBN-10 1509852921
      Also in:
      Poetry

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      ‘Swooningly glorious’ The Times

      ‘Indisputably her best volume’ Sunday Times

      The Bees is Carol Ann Duffy’s first collection of poems as Poet Laureate. In it she uses her full poetic range: there are drinking songs, love poems, poems of political anger; there are elegies, too, for beloved friends, and – most movingly – the poet’s own mother.

      Woven and weaving through the book is its presiding spirit: the bee. Sometimes the bee is Duffy’s subject, sometimes it strays into the poem, or hovers at its edge. In the end, Duffy’s point is clear: the bee symbolizes what we have left of grace in the world, and what is most precious and necessary for us to protect. The Bees, at once intimate and public, is a work of great power from one of our most cherished poets.



      Trade Review
      Beautiful and moving poetry for the real world -- Jeanette Winterson * Guardian *
      Wonderful . . . a poet alert to every sound and shape of language * Sunday Telegraph *
      Duffy is magnificent, grounded, heartfelt, dedicated to the notion that poetry can give us the music of life itself * Scotsman *

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