At first, the “them” of the title are simply terrifying. Long experience has taught her that they swarm and sting, and she runs with her hands over her eyes and mouth, even jumping into a lake to escape. For years she responds with revenge, burning nests and trapping the insects under glass to starve. The mood here is tense and violent, full of panic and cruelty. Then, as she slows down and reads about their role as helpers in garden and orchard, her fear softens. She learns to move gently, and the insects land on her cider-sticky hands, sipping juice without stinging. The ending feels calm and almost tender: understanding has replaced terror, and the old enemy has become something she can live beside.
Terrified of Them — Summary
Terrified of them she was through long Experience being swarmed with stings, Running, her hands over eyes and mouth, Running to the house or jumping in the lake, In whatever way possible to stop the punishers.
For years, she made herself their nemesis In revenge, setting nests afire! Or in Evenings inverting a glass bowl upside Down over their holes to watch them starve.
Only in recent years, as her ways have slowed, Finding in books their part in the scheme of Things as helpers in garden and orchard, Has she learned to move more gently Even as they light on her cidery hands, Milking fingers for juice, never stinging.