If you were coming in the fall,
I'd brush the summer by
With half a smile and half a spurn,
As housewives do a fly.
If I could see you in a year,
I'd wind the months in balls,
And put them each in separate drawers,
Until their time befalls.
If only centuries delayed,
I'd count them on my hand,
Subtracting till my fingers dropped
Into Van Diemen's land.
If certain, when this life was out,
That yours and mine should be,
I'd toss it yonder like a rind,
And taste eternity.
But now, all ignorant of the length
Of time's uncertain wing,
It goads me, like the goblin bee,
That will not state its sting.
Leave a guest comment (subject to review)
Comments
1 - 6 of 6
-
Seem like the poet is talking about her dream love that is yet to occur.
First stanza- If he was arriving in the fall, the poet would brush the summer away as housewives do a fly away, with half-hearted smile and contempt.
Second stanza- If the poet could see him in a year, she would wind the months in balls(wollen balls) and put them in separate drawers, since the season would pass away.
Third stanza- If their meet was centuries delayed, she will be counting the years and subracting them, till her fingers (she) falls dead in Van Diemen's land ( land known for demons).
Fourth stanza- And if this life is out, and they do not live as it is expected, then she will toss their life like a rind and taste eternity (through suicide perhaps).
Fifth stanza- Now that the poet is uncertain of the length of time as reflected above, it make her think that natural death (goblin bee) will not occur soon(will not state its sting). -
A few years ago, I sang a choral setting of this song that was absolutely gorgeous. It was my introduction to Emily Dickinson, and she is now my favorite poet, and this is one of my favorite poems of all time.
BTW, (3) says "half a spum," it's supposed to be "half a spurn." -
-
Thank you for picking up the typo - now fixed. Regards, Von - Oldpoetry
-
-
the fly
From guest justin Maddux (contact)
what the heck does the fly mean. Does it mean she is busy like a fly or what. -
That's funny...because the version we read in school was "for fear their numbers fuse" and instead of "ignorant of the length"...it was "uncertain of the length"...I just an essay test on this poem yesterday so I remember...hmmm that's interesting.
-
At this moment I have found the first edited collected poems of Emily Dickinson and with time will be editing poems here to suit. Most of her work has been edited to make some sense, some of her work didn't make sense and thus why was edited. Recluses tend to live in their own worlds, such as Dickinson did.
So there are versions that have it one way and there will be versions that will have it another way, who knows really what the original was without seeing the original.
Oldpoetry Researcher,
Nam -
The line that says "Until their time befalls" has been seen as saying "For fear their numbers fuse". I wonder which is correct. Let me know if you find anything.
Adding your comment:
1 - 6 of 6
