SHE rose to his requirement, dropt

SHE rose to his requirement, dropt
The playthings of her life
To take the honorable work
Of woman and of wife.

If aught she missed in her new day
Of amplitude, or awe,
Or first prospective, or the gold
In using wore away,

It lay unmentioned, as the sea
Develops pearl and weed,
But only to himself is known
The fathoms they abide.

Emily Dickinson

Emily meditates on sacrifice in marriage.

She received his demands, threw away
The trifle in her girlhood
To take the honorable work
Of woman and of wife.

If she missed in her new day
Any of importance, or awe
Or prospective, or faded gold
While she’s using,

It lay unspoken, as the sea
Grows pearl and weed,
But the depth they live
Is known only to him. 

Revolution is the Pod

Revolution is the Pod
Systems rattle from
When the Winds of Will are stirred
Excellent is Bloom

But except its Russet Base
Every Summer be
The Entomber of itself,
So of Liberty —

Left inactive on the Stalk
All its Purple fled
Revolution shakes it for
Test if it be dead.

Emily Dickinson

Ending summer

The Source from which
Systems rattle - sounds changing
When the Winds of Will are stirred
Bloom is Excellent  

But except its Russet Stem
Every Summer be
The Entomber of itself,
So of Liberty —

Left inactive on the Stalk
All its Purple fled
Changing shakes it for
Test if it be dead.

Revolution means  just change or shift..

The Day undressed — Herself —

The Day undressed — Herself —
Her Garter — was of Gold —
Her Petticoat — of Purple plain —
Her Dimities — as old

Exactly — as the World —
And yet the newest Star —
Enrolled upon the Hemisphere
Be wrinkled — much as Her —

Too near to God — to pray —
Too near to Heaven — to fear —
The Lady of the Occident
Retired without a care —

Her Candle so expire
The flickering be seen
On Ball of Mast in Bosporus —
And Dome — and Window Pane —

Emily Dickinson

The color-changing seascape at sunset

The Sun undressed herself —
Her Garter was of Gold —
Her Petticoat was of pure Purple—
Her Dimities was exactly

As old as the World —
And yet the newest Star —
Inserted on the Hemisphere
Be wrinkled as much as Star —

Too near to God to pray —
Too near to Heaven to fear —
The Lady of the West
Retired without a care —

Her Light so expire
The flickering be seen
On round Mast in Bosporus
And Dome and Window Pane —

* Day: Sun
* Garter: Horizon
* Petticoat: Sea Surface
* Dimity: Star
* ball of mast: round mast

God is a distant — stately Lover —

God is a distant — stately Lover —
Woos, as He states us — by His Son —
Verily, a Vicarious Courtship —
“Miles”, and “Priscilla”, were such a One —

But, lest the Soul — like fair “Priscilla”
Choose the Envoy — and spurn the Groom —
Vouches, with hyperbolic archness —
“Miles”, and “John Alden” were Synonym —

Emily Dickinson

Holy Trinity is like a Love Triangle

God is a distant and stately Lover —
He solicits our Love through His Son —
Truly, a Proxy Courtship —
As is the case with “Miles”, and “Priscilla"—

But, lest the People choose the Envoy
And spurn the Suitor like fair "Priscilla”
Proclaim, using exaggerated expression —
“Miles”, and “John Alden” were Identical —

The poem is based on Longfellow’s poem “The Courtship of Miles Standish. Miles is an influential man in the colonial days fall in love with Priscilla. He is so distant and stately that he sent John Alden as a proxy to do his courting. Ironically, John Alden gets Priscilla’s hand. 

The Spider holds a Silver Ball

The Spider holds a Silver Ball
In unperceived Hands —
And dancing softly to Himself
His Yarn of Pearl — unwinds —

He plies from Nought to Nought —
In unsubstantial Trade —
Supplants our Tapestries with His —
In half the period —

An Hour to rear supreme
His Continents of Light —
Then dangle from the Housewife’s Broom —
His Boundaries — forgot —

Emily Dickinson

Spider’s ephemeral masterpiece

The Spider holds a Silver Ball
In invisibly quick Hands —
And unwinds His Yarn of Pearl
Dancing softly to Himself —

He works from Nothing to Nothing
In hidden Custom —
And replaces our Tapestries with His —
In the half time —

In an Hour He completes
His Continents of Light—
But which dangle from the Housewife’s Broom —
His Boundaries are forgotten —

‘Tis little I — could care for Pearls —

‘Tis little I — could care for Pearls —
Who own the ample sea —
Or Brooches — when the Emperor —
With Rubies — pelteth me —

Or Gold — who am the Prince of Mines —
Or Diamonds — when have I
A Diadem to fit a Dome —
Continual upon me —

Emily Dickinson

Emily boasts of her poetical gift worthy of any precious thing.

I could not care the Pearl
For I own too broad sea —
Or Broaches when the Emperor
Showers me with Rubies —

Or Gold  for I’m the Prince of the Mines
Or Diamonds when I have
A Diadem to fit a Top
Always upon me —

Did the Harebell loose her girdle

Did the Harebell loose her girdle
To the lover Bee
Would the Bee the Harebell hallow
Much as formerly?

Did the “Paradise” — persuaded —
Yield her moat of pearl —
Would the Eden be an Eden,
Or the Earl — an Earl?

Emily Dickinson

Courtly Love between the Harebell and the Bee who is easy to warm and easy to cool.

Did the Harebell loose her belt
To the lover Bee？
Would the Bee devote the Harebell
On chivalry code?

Did the “Paradise” allow you to
Cross her moat of pearl?
Would the Eden be a Garden,
Or would the Harebell be a Girl?