Emily Dickenson
Content overview
In this poem the persona talks about taking in
everything from their surroundings and observing
nature. They continue to watch the season’s change
and as they do watch this the change reminds them of
the past and what they have lost , and realize how
much they have been hurt and that they wish they
didn’t care and wasn’t so hurt by the past
Structure
 The rhyming structure is ABCB in the first four stanzas
and ABAB in the last stanza.
 The lines usually follow the form of a long line in the
first line and short line in the second line and so on.
 Made up of five stanza, that all consist of four lines.
 Steady rhythm- empahsises the theme of nature as
nature has characteristics which flow and are free
Language techniques
 repetition of the words “noise” and “the”
 First person-Words such as-“we” and “us” are used to include the
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audience in the text.
Personification-“summer hesitates” –personal connection to nature
Metaphor-“night’s delicious close” a heavily needed close,
Oxymoron-“cruelly more dear”
Reference to nights and season to show change and how things are
moving
Reference to fantasy magical and sorcery ‘
Reference to life death and religion – heavenly
Tone of regret
Chronological order of events
Evocative language- e.g. Sauntered
“we wish the ear had not a heart so
dangerous near”
“ It makes us think of what we had and what
we now deplore”
“Made cruelly more dear”
Key idea’s on belonging
•Belonging to nature, and religion which
transcends the nature world and not
belonging to human relationships and
emotions
•A need and want to be understood and
accepted for her individuality
Links to Other Poems
 Shares the themes found in other Emily Dickinson's
poems about nature and her struggle to connect with
human relationships and feelings
 Unlike other poems this poem uses “we” and “us”
which indicates a relationship within the poem and
include the reader in the text . Therefore instilling a
sense of belonging between the readers and Emily
Dickinson poetry
Your Opinion of the Poem
 Uses few words to express a profound meaning
 Explores key themes associated with all Emily
Dickinson poems such as nature
 Shows clear human emotion about loss and the past
 Expresses the idea of belonging in a way which is
understood and makes us feel sympathetic for Emily
Dickinson