Comments on Emily Dickinson Poems

COME SLOWLY –EDEN and BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP FOR DEATH by Roxy CAUDRON Grade 11

Come slowly, Eden!
lips unused to thee,
Bashful, sip thy jasmines,
As the fainting bee,

Reaching late his er,
Round her er hums,
Counts s nectars --enters,
And is lost in Balms!

COMMENTS: for a short poem, this one packs quite a punch! Its contents all clearly evolve around sexual intercourse- a woman and a man being together for the first time, and how she wishes to take it slowly because being novice to the act, she cannot reach “paradise” too quickly. The thing that struck me most was how Emily Dickinson manages to stay elegant and almost decent in her poem. The subject is one which is probably very hard to talk about without being vulgar however Dickinson avoids this quite successfully. IN this poem, she appeals to most of our senses and uses clever imagery to create contrast between things that are being said- adding depth and meaning to the poem. It’s simplicity us misleading…

COMMENTS:

This poem, although longer than the previous does have a lot of meaning but in my opinion it is fairly straight forward and may not have as much depth as “Come Slowly- Eden”. This is because there is more of a message in the first poem, in which we learn a novice cannot achieve paradise too quickly, whilst the second poem considers something that is more personal to the author and perhaps harder to relate to for the general public. Here, the poem speaks of how Emily Dickinson did not fear the arrival of death, she accepted it calmly and surprisingly enough presents her experience as something not much more serious or frightening than receiving a suitor at your door who is taking you for a ride- this suitor is even the person she is engaged to. Her journey begins in the first of the six quatrains when death calls and comes along with immortality in a carriage. They travel in this carried with “no haste”. This could be implying that she dies slowly- due to an illness maybe which took its sweet time to kill her? In the 3rd stanza, we are taken through the 3 steps of life- childhood (in which she speaks of school and recess), adulthood or maturity (as she speaks of the ripe grain) and Death (her house- her tomb by the setting sun). There is a sort of turning point here where the author experiences a chill and she realizes she’s not dressed appropriately- in fact she is dressed for more of a wedding. What a coincidence- death is her fiancé! Here we have suggestions of the beginning of a new life rather than the ending of an old one because she speaks of wedding rather than funerals. It is interesting to note that Dickinson is extraordinarily comfortable with her approaching death as she speaks of her tomb as her house. This brings us to the overall theme or meaning of the poem- death is part of the natural cycle of life- there cannot be life without death- so one must come to terms with it, accept it and not fear it. I think that seeing as Dickinson was known as somewhat of a lonesome independent woman, she may have had much time on her hands to consider death and hence time to make peace with what was happening to her- the poem would therefore be reflecting her personality. On the other hand however, the poem could also reflect her religious beliefs because, as a Christian, the bible had probably taught her to look forward and accept such things that were God’s will.

NB: the first and third lines of each stanza are in iambic tetrameter, and the second and fourth lines are in iambic trimeter.

SIMILIARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE POEMS:

This is a preview of the whole essay

NB: the first and third lines of each stanza are in iambic tetrameter, and the second and fourth lines are in iambic trimeter.

SIMILIARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE POEMS:

As with many Poems by Emily Dickinson, they both offer a contrast between the natural world and the human world. However, these contrasts are represented in very different ways. The first Poem, describes the possibility of reaching “paradise” (in sexual terms) whilst the second describes the transition from the mortal world to that of the dead. Perhaps both poems conclude with one reaching some form of paradise but the ways in which this is achieved are very different. Needless to say, both poems are quite deep in meaning (perhaps one more than the other…) and carry an important message.

The imagery employed in each poem is quite simple and used to disguise serious topics. “Come Slowly- Eden” however, does this in a much more subtle and clever manner. Rarely would I have thought to use the imagery of something as innocent as a bee and a flower to describe the reaching of “sexual paradise”, the 7th heaven if you will... It is the oddness of this use of common imagery which adds complexity, depth and captures one’s attention in such a poem. The second poem also uses simple imagery but the tone throughout is so calm, just like Dickinson’s acceptance of death, that there’s not a clear climax to the poem and it just continually flows just like the natural flow of life until it is wrapped up into an easy conclusion- death. Unlike the first, the second poem uses no capitalization or dashes to create emphasis on certain things such as the “entering” in “Come Slowly- Eden”. This emphasis on certain parts denotes some form of climax and change of tone (in the second verse of Poem 1) which leaves the reader entranced and caught up in the rhythm. And I believe that it is this unusual figurative language that is therefore somewhat more efficient in rallying the reader’s emotions and help us really appreciate what is being said. The Rhyming scheme is both ABCB in these poems.

Suggestion it is her first time with him, or maybe even at all.

Reserved or self-concious; knowing the woman desires this process to be slow.

Appeals to the sense of taste as well as smell.

Many repeated “s” sounds- assonance, gives the poem a nice flow.

The Jasmine flower is a symbol of feminine sweetness and beauty. As well as, deep affection, happiness and elegance. It is used in wedding toss. Here we see connotations of union. Imagery.

“As”, “like” words used for similes. This poem remains cleverly and delicately written. Although, a simile is used to compare what the couple is experiencing with a bee approaching a blossoming flower, it is implied that it is MORE than a comparison. IN a sense that, we understand the couple ARE the bee and the flower- it is a metaphor too. (I.e. when the bee is overcome by the sweetness of the flower, the man is not experiencing something similar with his woman, but exactly the same thing.) Writing like this maintains a sense of delicacy, elegance and avoids using a vulgar tone. The poem is refined and sensual rather than crudely sexual.

Appeals to the sense of sight.

Using bees and flowers as imagery to speak of intercourse highlights the innocence of the woman taking part in this. Bees and flowers are perhaps things that remind you of childhood, purity, nature, calmness and etc- very rarely will such an image be used in more serious "grown-up" matters or things innapropriate for children to discuss- it's like the author is attempting to remain "decent" in her writing and hence is sugar-coating the action. So although it highlights the girls innocence; it also creates a strong contrast between what is actually happening and the image used to "sugar-coat" it.

The man is taking his time to get to her as she cannot stand to be too overwhelmed by too much heaven at once.

Appeals to the sense of hearing

Capital letter attracts attention here and makes this reaching of paradise seem more significant.

Bee circling flower- imagery

Disruption of syntax using this dash which draws our attention to the act that the man is entering (so to speak).

Second half of poem involves a change in tone from that of innocence and purity to something more adventurous and daring- she's about to lose her "purity".

The narrator speaks of their partner as a man, hence she is female.

Comparison of intercourse with a bee coming to a flower in full bloom. The bee is circling this flower, lightly tastes it and finally enters as they are engulfed by the sweetness and taste of paradise. Metaphor employed here.

A clear conclusion and wrapping up of both the poem and the action in the poem.

Lightly tastes before finally entering and being overcome by its sweetness.

ThEE and bEE, FlowER and entER- rhyming pattern ABCB.

Repeating ‘C’ sounds- assonance. Gives the poem flow.

From ‘death’ to ‘he’ – personification and a metaphor.

Death is The suitor who comes calling for the narrator to escort her to eternity.

Rhyming pattern ABCB

hELd and oursElves- there is internal rhyme present here

Last words of stanza 1 and 2 rhyme.

Is immortality also a passenger in the carriage?

Because upon her first time, she does not desire “achieving” or reaching this “sexual paradise” or “sexual release” too fast. She’s saying that the experience of this supreme delight shouldn’t be experienced too quickly by someone novice to the act.

Repeated H sounds- alliteration.

KNew NO – alliteration.

She seems to be calmly accepting death

Repeated L sounds- alliteration.

Civility- refering to politeness.

REPETITION of the phrase « we passed » is anaphora

SCHOO L ; here is meant to symbolize the beginning or early yers of life, so things such as childhood

Capital letters personifies the noun and makes it seem more significant.

Repeated R sounds = alliteration.

The fields represent the « middle period » of life in which you find the working years and adulthood

Gazing : ripe

The setting sun is representing death, the end of life.

Speaking of her life journey and comparing it with the voyage she travels wit death in the carriage.

HE is the sun- it’s personification.

Internal rhyme – dEWs and grEW

Gossamer gown= the wedding dress for marrying death…

She seems to WELCOME death and consider it as someone she is marrying...

Referring to “Paradise” or “the Garden of Eden” in which Adam and Eve committed the original sin- the state of disobedience to God which everyone is in from birth according to some Christian teachings (i.e. Sex).

House= her tomb where she will be for eternity