Date: October 28th, 2013

Bee Poem

by Betsy Franco

Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tails by Betsy Franco

Study a beehive
and you will see
the mathematical genius of the bee.
The hexagons
you’ll find inside
fit side
by side
by side
by side.
The math is passed
mysteriously
from worker bee
to worker bee.

Copyright © 2008 Betsy FrancoFrom the book Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tails. Margaret K. McElderry Books.  Reprinted by permission of the author.

About this Poem

I took notes for years on shapes and patterns in nature, and I wrote the poems once I had a thick enough folder.  Nature always pays me back when I observe it closely.  I like to combine poetry and math.

About The Author

Author Betsy Franco

Photo by Jim Warren

Betsy Franco is the author of over 80 books, including a number of  poetry collections.  Her first was Mathematickles!–math haiku.  Others include A Curious Collection of Cats, A Dazzling Display of Dogs, Messing Around on the Monkey Bars and Other School Poems in Two Voices, Counting Our Way to the 100th Day!, and Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tails. She also wrote a book especially for teachers of grades K-12, Conversations with a Poet.

Making math and science creative, sassy, and beautiful through poetry is one of her main goals.  She even included poetry in her novel, Metamorphosis, Junior Year.  Betsy encourages children to use her poetry as a jumping off place for their own creativity.  Their poems are always delightful and insightful!

Where to Buy this Book

Buy at AmazonBuy at Barnes & NobleShop Indie Bookstores