---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the hornet hangs in the hollyhock…"
description: "\"When the hornet hangs in the hollyhock, And the brown bee drones in the rose, And the west is a red-streaked four-o'clock, And summer is near its close..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e55/madison-cawein-34575_bees_when-the-hornet-hangs-in-the-hollyhock-a_450202.png"
---

#  When the hornet hangs in the hollyhock, And the brown bee…

![“When the hornet hangs in the hollyhock, And the brown bee drones in the rose, And the west is a red-streaked four-o'clock, And summer is near its close, It's, Oh!, For the gate, and the locust lane; And dusk, and dew, and home again!” quote by Madison Cawein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e55/madison-cawein-34575_bees_when-the-hornet-hangs-in-the-hollyhock-a_450202.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e55/madison-cawein-34575_bees_when-the-hornet-hangs-in-the-hollyhock-a_450202.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e55/madison-cawein-34575_bees_when-the-hornet-hangs-in-the-hollyhock-a_450202.png)

> “When the hornet hangs in the hollyhock, And the brown bee drones in the rose, And the west is a red-streaked four-o'clock, And summer is near its close, It's, Oh!, For the gate, and the locust lane; And dusk, and dew, and home again!”

[Madison Cawein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-cawein/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The poem celebrates the fleeting beauty of late summer and the longing for home.

**In simple terms:** Late summer brings vivid sights and a yearning for home.

Key Takeaway

Savor seasonal moments and cherish home.

Themes

nature nostalgia seasonality

Mood

reflective melancholic

Type

lyetic contemplative

When to use this quote

- garden walks
- sunset watching
- family gatherings
- creative writing

Key Concepts

poetry transience homecoming

Questions to Reflect On

- What seasonal change do you miss most?
- How does nature influence your sense of belonging?

A Different Perspective

The imagery may be too nostalgic for those preferring progress.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bees/) [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Drones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drones/) [Dusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dusk/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Red](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red/) [Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rose/) [Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/summer/)

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> [ You will stir up the hornets. \[Lat., Irritabis crabones.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/you-will-stir-up-the-hornets-lat-irritabis-crabones/)

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## More by Madison Cawein

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## More Bees quotes

> [Those who have not been stung will hardly fear a bee the same as those who have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/those-who-have-not-been-stung-will-hardly-fear-a-bee-the-same-as/)

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