The Dance of the Bees
The Flemish poet and critic Paul Demets is known for his rich imagery and sharp reflections on contemporary society. Following ‘The Clover Knot’ (2018), for which he was awarded the Jan Campert prize in 2019, and ‘The Hare Distress Call’ (2020), Demets explores familiar subjects in ‘The Dance of the Bees’ without being repetitive.
With this collection, Demets delivers one of his strongest works of poetry.De Standaard
This collection revisits the complex relationship between nature and humanity, as well as themes of identity, the climate crisis, alienation, consumerism, and polarisation. Here, the world of the bees serves as a lens through which the poet’s concerns take shape: like bees, we swarm, seek leadership and deplete our valuable resources.
Alongside metaphors, Demets incorporates direct references to right-wing politics and capitalist figures like Jeff Bezos to highlight the intersection of power, economy, and ecology, grounding the collection in our contemporary reality.
Paul Demets’ ‘The Dance of the Bees’ is an intriguing bulwark of language.De Lage Landen
‘The Dance of the Bees’ is a highly relevant collection and offers a reading experience that unfolds gradually, revealing new connections and meanings with each return to the text.
