Sunday, May 13, 2018

She’s happy, with a new Content —



She’s happy, with a new Content —
That feels to her — like Sacrament —
She’s busy — with an altered Care —
As just apprenticed to the Air —
She’s tearful — if she weep at all —
For blissful Causes — Most of all
That Heaven permit so meek as her —
To such a Fate — to Minister.
Emily Dickinson
She’s happy with a new wax —
That feels to her like altar bread—
She’s busy with an altered care —
As just learning from her master, the air —
She’s tearful for blissful cause— 
If she weep at all —
Most of all that Heaven permit so meek as her —
To do service on the altar.
Trivially “she” is an altar candle.

Monday, April 23, 2018

My Garden — like the Beach —



My Garden — like the Beach —
Denotes there be — a Sea —
That's Summer —
Such as These — the Pearls
She fetches — such as Me

Emily Dickinson 


My Garden is like the Beach —It denotes that there be a Sea —That's Summer —Who fetches such as meThe Pearls such as These Her garden was full of her favorite Daisies. She might have been so happy to enjoy a wordplay. Daisy is a pet form of Margaret, the Greek counterpart of Pearl.

 

Sunday, February 4, 2018

Heart, not so heavy as mine


Heart, not so heavy as mine
Wending late home ―
As it passed my window
Whistled itself a tune ―
A careless snatch ― a ballad ― 
A ditty of the street ―
Yet to my irritated Ear
An Anodyne so sweet ―
It was as if a Bobolink
Sauntering this way
Carolled, and paused, and carolled ―
Then bubbled slow away!
It was as if a chirping brook
Upon a dusty way ―
Set bleeding feet to minuets
Without the knowing why!
Tomorrow, night will come again ―
Perhaps, weary and sore ―
Ah Bugle! By my window
I pray you pass once more.
Emily Dickinson
In simpler English
It’s heart, not so heavy as mine
Went home late ―
When it passed my window
It whistled a tune ―
Suddenly it sang a ballad ― 
An air of the street ―
A very sweet pain-killer
To my irritated Ear yet sweet ―
It was as if a bobolink
Strolling this way
Caroled, and paused, and caroled ―
Then slowly bubbled away!
It was as if a brook on a dusty way
Chirped and set bleeding feet ―
To minuets
Without the knowing why!
Tomorrow, night will come again ―
Perhaps, weary and painful ―
Ah Bugle! I pray you pass once more.
By my window
It may be a nocturnal hunter. It sings a gloomy song that relieves Emily’s painful heart. I bet on an owl, one of her favorite birds.

Friday, January 26, 2018

Ah, Necromancy Sweet!


Ah, Necromancy Sweet!
Ah, Wizard erudite!
Teach me the skill,
That I instil the pain
Surgeons assuage in vain,
Nor Herb of all the plain
Can Heal!
Emily Dickinson
Only bees know the secret way of brewing sweet honey! Honey is Emily’s favorite sweet.
Ah, sweet magic!
Ah, skillful wizard!
Teach me the skill,
That I appease the pain
Which surgeons fail to lessen,
Nor herb of all the plain
Can heal!

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

I had a daily Bliss


I had a daily Bliss
I half indifferent viewed
Till sudden I perceived it stir —
It grew as I pursued
Till when around a Height
It wasted from my sight
Increased beyond my utmost scope
I learned to estimate.
Emily Dickinson
In Simplified English
I had a daily Bliss
I enjoyed viewing half indifferent
Till I perceived it stir suddenly—
It grew as I pursued
Though it disappeared from my sight
Around a Height,
It grew increased beyond my utmost scope
I learned to estimate.
“it” is apparently the Sun, that Emily admires.

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

To this World she returned.

To this World she returned.
But with a tinge of that —
A Compound manner,
As a Sod
Espoused a Violet,
That chiefer to the Skies
Than to himself, allied,
Dwelt hesitating, half of Dust,
And half of Day, the Bride.
Emily Dickinson
She returned to this district.
But with a slight coloring ——
In a mixed manner,
Just like a sod
Was married to a violet,
That became a good with skies
Than allied to him,
The bride dwelled hesitating, 
Half helped by the soil and
Half by the sun.
The possible candidate of “she” is a daisy. She opens the crown and bathes the rays of the sun in the daytime. After dark, she closes it and absorbing nutrition from the soil.

Monday, January 15, 2018

Through the strait pass of suffering —

Through the strait pass of suffering —
The Martyrs — even — trod.
Their feet — upon Temptations —
Their faces — upon God —
A stately — shriven — Company —
Convulsion — playing round —
Harmless — as streaks of Meteor —
Upon a Planet’s Bond —
Their faith — the everlasting troth —
Their Expectation — fair —
The Needle — to the North Degree —
Wades — so — thro’ polar Air!
Emily Dickinson
The poem describes a slowly changing pattern of aurora in the polar zone. The third line of the second stanza “The Needle — to the North Degree” is a critical hint.
The Martyrs trod further
Through the narrow pass
Feeling intolerable pain,
Although their feet are on temptations,
Their faces are on God.
A stately shriven company
Goes into convulsion,
They are innocent as beams of meteor 
On a Planet’s Bond —
Their faith, that is, the everlasting troth 
And their expectations are fair.
The Needle pointing to the North Pole
Advances on foot through’ polar Air!