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 How doth the little busy bee
 Improve each shining hour,
  And gather honey all the day
 read more 
 How doth the little busy bee
 Improve each shining hour,
  And gather honey all the day
   From every opening flower. 
 The pedigree of honey
 Does not concern the bee;
  A clover, any time, to him
  read more 
 The pedigree of honey
 Does not concern the bee;
  A clover, any time, to him
   Is aristocracy. 
 "O bees, sweet bees!" I said; "that nearest field
 Is shining white with fragrant immortelles
  Fly swiftly read more 
 "O bees, sweet bees!" I said; "that nearest field
 Is shining white with fragrant immortelles
  Fly swiftly there and drain those honey wells." 
 His labor is a chant,
 His idleness a tune;
  Oh, for a bee's experience
   read more 
 His labor is a chant,
 His idleness a tune;
  Oh, for a bee's experience
   Of clovers and of noon! 
 For pitty, Sir, find out that Bee
 Which bore my Love away
  I'le seek him in your read more 
 For pitty, Sir, find out that Bee
 Which bore my Love away
  I'le seek him in your Bonnet brave,
   I'le seek him in your eyes. 
 The honey-bee that wanders all day long
 The field, the woodland, and the garden o'er,
  To gather read more 
 The honey-bee that wanders all day long
 The field, the woodland, and the garden o'er,
  To gather in his fragrant winter store,
   Humming in calm content his winter song,
    Seeks not alone the rose's glowing breast,
     The lily's dainty cup, the violet's lips,
      But from all rank and noxious weeds he sips
       The single drop of sweetness closely pressed
        Within the poison chalice. 
 Listen! O, listen!
 Here come the hum the golden bees
  Underneath full blossomed trees,
   read more 
 Listen! O, listen!
 Here come the hum the golden bees
  Underneath full blossomed trees,
   At once with glowing fruit and flowers crowned. 
 Seeing only what is fair,
 Sipping only what is sweet,
  . . . .
   read more 
 Seeing only what is fair,
 Sipping only what is sweet,
  . . . .
   Leave the chaff, and take the wheat.