ED-LarryB

896.1865.Purple – is fashionable twice –

Purple – is fashionable twice –
This season of the year,
And when a soul perceives itself
To be an Emperor.
…………………………………………………………

AI tells me purple’s in fashion any season but spring calls for lighter violet colors and fall for darker, royal purple. One of ED’s favorite flowers was purple gentian, which blooms after the first frost, so my guess is ED’s season is autumn. Purple gentian is deep wine-red, purple, or dark violet.

ED’s last two lines may have been a comment on an acquaintance who thought highly of themselves, but they are also apt for our current political egomaniac, with emphasis on the “perceives”.

895.1865.Further in Summer than the Birds –

Further in Summer than the Birds –
Pathetic from the Grass –
A Minor Nation celebrates
It’s unobtrusive Mass –

No Ordinance be seen –
So gradual the Grace
A pensive [gentle} Custom it becomes
Enlarging Loneliness –

‘Tis Antiquer {Antiquest}, at Dusk –
When Day’s attempt is done –
And Nature nothing waits to do
But terminate in Tune –

Nor difference it knows
Of Cadence, or of Pause –
Yet {But} simultaneous as Same –
The Service emphacize –

Nor know I when it cease –
At Candles, it is here –
When Sunrise is – that it is not –
Than this, I know no more –

The Earth has many keys –
Where Melody is not
Is the Unknown Peninsula –
Beauty – is Nature’s Fact –

But Witness for Her Land –
And Witness for Her Sea –
The Cricket is Her utmost
Of Elegy, to Me –
…………………………………………………………………….

My interpretation of ‘895.1865.Further in Summer than the Birds –‘:

Stanza 1.

Further in Summer than the Birds –
Pathetic from the Grass –
A Minor Nation celebrates
It’s unobtrusive Mass –

S1

In summer after the birds have stopped singing, a new chorus begins from the grass. A less visible but abundant nation of crickets sings its late-summer chants.

 

Stanza 2.

No Ordinance be seen –
So gradual the Grace
A pensive Custom it becomes
Enlarging Loneliness –

S2.

There is no religious ritual seen, but the chorus gradually begins its annual ceremony, which makes me feel lonely.

 

Stanza 3.

‘Tis Audiblest, at Dusk –
When Day’s attempt is done –
And Nature nothing waits to do
But terminate in Tune –

S3.

The singing is loudest at dusk, when day is done and nature has nothing to do but terminate in tune.

 

Stanza 4

Nor difference it knows
Of Cadence, or of Pause –
But simultaneous as Same –
The Service emphacize –

S4.

The chorus is a monotone without rhythm or pause. The performance seems to include all crickets, as if emphasizing their solidarity.

 

Stanza 5,

Nor know I when it cease –
At Candles, it is here –
When Sunrise is – that it is not –
Than this, I know no more –

S5.

I don’t know when the chorus stops. It’s here when I go to bed but not in the morning when I wake.

 

Stanza 6

The Earth has many keys –
Where Melody is not
Is the Unknown Peninsula –
Beauty – is Nature’s Fact –

S6

The Earth has many keys, like a piano, but some keys make no sound when struck. Instead, they play the silent songs of the soul, inaudible but real, and they are beautiful.

 

Stanza 7.

But Witness for Her Land –
And Witness for Her Sea –
The Cricket is Her utmost
Of Elegy, to Me –

S7

I witness the beauty of both land and sea, but a full-throated cricket chorus is elegy enough for me.
…………………………………………………………………………….

Same interpretation in three paragraphs:

In summer after the birds have stopped singing, a new chorus begins from the grass. A less visible but abundant nation of crickets sings its late-summer chants. There is no religious ritual seen, but the chorus gradually begins its annual ceremony, which makes me feel lonely.

The singing is loudest at dusk, when day is done and nature has nothing to do but terminate in tune. The chorus is a monotone without rhythm or pause. The performance seems to include all crickets, as if emphasizing their solidarity. I don’t know when the chorus stops. It’s here when I go to bed but not in the morning when I wake.

The Earth has many keys, like a piano, but some keys make no sound when struck. Instead, they play the silent songs of the soul, inaudible but real, and they are beautiful. I witness the beauty of both land and sea, but a full-throated cricket chorus is elegy enough for me.
…………………………………………………………………….

ED’s first variant of ‘Further in Summer than the Birds’, Variant A in Franklin’s 1998 ‘Variorum’, has seven stanzas and is often referred to as ‘The Vanderbilt Variant’. There are five other variants and three  alternate words: in Line 7 (pensive → gentle), Line 9 (antiquer → antiquest), L:ine 15 (yet → but). I prefer all her alternate words, as did ED, who used them in her final four-stanza Variant F (1883).

In  1865, ED sent the poem to Gertrude Vanderbilt, a college friend of Susan Dickinson, and a copy to her cousins in Boston. In 1986, exactly 100 years after ED’s death, the Vanderbilt Variant was found in the Special Collections Room of Scripps College Library, Claremont, California.
…………………………………………………………………………………

894.1865.The Overtakelessness of Those
Variant B, with alternate words in {curly brackets}.

The Overtakelessness of Those
Who have accomplished Death —
Majestic is to me beyond
The Majesties of Earth —
The Soul her “Not at Home”
Inscribes upon the Flesh,
And takes a {her} fine aerial gait
Beyond the Writ {hope} of Touch.
…………………………………………………………………………………….

There are two variants. Variant A is Susan’s transcription of ED’s lost manuscript and Variant B, in ED’s handwriting (above). There are two alternate words: in Line 7, “her” in Variant A becomes “a” in Variant B and, in Line 8, “hope” becomes “Writ”.

I prefer both of ED’s alternate words in Variant A because “The Soul” in Line 5 is a “Her”, and “Writ” is legalese, while “hope” is not.

For the sake of her poetry, ED assumes there is something “Majestic . . . beyond / The Majesties of Earth —”, but I’m not convinced she’s convinced there is.  If there isn’t, this poem is fiction, but it makes for good poetry. ED’s waiting for some empirical evidence.

My interpretation of ‘The Overtakelessness of Those (F894)’:

A woman who has died hangs a “Not at Home” sign on her corpse, then takes her “fine aerial gait / Beyond the hope” of anyone alive touching her . . .

ED sounds confident she knows what she’s talking about; she’s saying what she “hopes” death will be, but I don’t think she’s confident she’s right.

893.1865. Her sovereign People

Her sovereign People
Nature knows as well
And is as fond of signifying
As if fallible –
…………………………………….

My translation of F893:

Nature knows who her geniuses are and enjoys bragging about them, as if Nature is fallible.
………………………………………………..

That is the same as saying Nature is infallible. A humbler Nature would have said “As if infallible”.

Like the previous poem, F892, this one continues ED’s thinking about gifted children/people. By age 34, she was certain she was a “sovereign” person. To me her “As if fallible” goes over the top of healthy self-confidence. In my experience, secure geniuses don’t flout themselves as this poem does.

I know, it’s just a private poem between two close friends with a long track record between them. Maybe I’m just jealous.

892.1865.Fame’s Boys and Girls, who never die 

Fame’s Boys and Girls, who never die
And are too seldom born—

Several paragraphs from TPB:

“Another intriguing thing about this poem is that we don’t know if it is complete, or unfinished. Thomas Johnson describes it as being a ‘pencilled scrap, a jotting perhaps intended for future use.’ Was it? Or is it complete as is? What do you think?

“I found an article online by David Lehman in which he talks about a poetry contest in which poets were asked to use these lines as the first two of a quatrain. Lehman writes,

“Here’s my try,

“Fame’s Boys and Girls, who never die
And are too seldom born—
Still can’t do what you can do
within some cloud of form.

“Okay, now you.

-/)dam l)eGraff”

 

Anonymous

“Fame’s Boys and Girls, who never die
And are too seldom born—
Talk secretly to each other’s Ears
through the cracks in Time’s Walls

nateApril 12, 2026 at 10:57 AM

“Fame’s Boys and Girls, who never die
And are too seldom born—
But mind the wilds of paradise—
For sign of ancestor

Tom CApril 12, 2026

“Fame’s Boys and Girls, who never die
And are too seldom born—
They walk upon the floor of Sea
Where — silver Fins — do earn

AnonymousMay 31, 2026

“Fame’s Boys and Girls, who never die
And are too seldom born—
Whose golden crowns forever shine,
Whose purple – never worn –

Larry BNovember 3, 2026 at 10:28 AM

Fame’s Boys and Girls, who never die
And are too seldom born—
I tell myself that I don’t care
But save each scrap of line:

My imagined letter from ED to Vinnie:

“Thanks Vinnie,

You burned my letters as I asked, but I left it up to you whether to burn my poems. You didn’t and I’m glad.

Affectionately,
Emily

891.1864. I learned—at least—what Home could be—

I learned—at least—what Home could be—
How ignorant I had been
Of pretty ways of Covenant—
How awkward at the Hymn

Round our new Fireside—but for this—
This pattern—of the Way—
Whose Memory drowns me, like the Dip
Of a Celestial Sea—

What Mornings in our Garden—guessed—
What Bees—for us—to hum—
With only Birds to interrupt
The Ripple of our Theme—

And Task for Both—
When Play be done—
Your Problem—of the Brain—
And mine—some foolisher effect—
A Ruffle—or a Tune—

The Afternoons—Together spent—
And Twilight—in the Lanes—
Some ministry to poorer lives—
Seen poorest—thro’ our gains—

And then Return—and Night—and Home—

And then away to You to pass—
A new—diviner—care—
Till Sunrise take us back to Scene—
Transmuted—Vivider—

This seems a Home—
And Home is not—
But what that Place could be—
Afflicts me—as a Setting Sun—
Where Dawn—knows how to be—
………………………………………………………………………………..

My interpretation of F891:

STANZA 1 – ED begins by saying “I learned – at least – what Home could be” and also “How ignorant I had been” of what a home could be. She’s trying to put a positive spin on an experience that, if timing had allowed, might have been more rewarding.

Two words, “Covenant” and “Hymn”, set a religious tone for this poem. “A covenant is a relational, loyalty-based pledge that binds the parties themselves and is based on trust.” Think marriage vows.

“A hymn is a religious song written for the purpose of adoration, prayer, or praise, typically addressed to a deity, gods, or a sacred figure.” (Google AI).  ED had felt awkward singing hymns until she experienced a “Covenant” with “You” [Line 22].

STANZA 2 – tells us the time and power of ED’S experience.

ED’s new “pretty ways of Covenant” allow her to “unawkwardly” sing “Hymns // Round our new Fireside”. Lines 7-8, “Whose Memory drowns me, like the Dip / Of a Celestial Sea –” lets us know that ED is writing from “Memory”, after the experience, and that the experience felt heavenly, like drowning in the Milky Way.

STANZA 3 – informs us that ED is guessing “What Mornings in our Garden” would be like: “What Bees – for us – to hum – / With only Birds to interrupt”. ED knows she “guessed” this experience.

STANZA 4 – ED imagines what tasks her partner and she would do after their morning “Play be done”. Her partner would solve a “Problem – of the Brain – / And mine – some foolisher effect -”

STANZA 5 – reveals that the couple’s “Afternoons – together spent – / And Twilight – in the Lanes –”. And, important biographically, they give “Some ministry to poorer lives”. For me, this “ministry” line and the “Covenant” and “Hymns” of Stanza 1 are compelling evidence that ED’s partner is a minister.

STANZA 6 – segues back to home: “And then Return – and Night – and Home -”.

STANZA 7 – modestly lets us know their sex life is wonderful: “And then away to You to pass – / A new – diviner – Care – / Till Sunrise take us back to Scene -”

STANZA 8  – ED explains that her poem is the life she wished she had had if only she had been “Empress of Calvary” (F194, ‘Title divine is mine’) or the “Queen of Calvary” (F347, ‘I dreaded that first Robin, so’). “Calvary” was the code name of Reverend Charles Wadsworth.

But ED is not crazy; she knows she is not Mrs. Charles Wadsworth. Her life is what it is, at Homestead, with her sister and parents:

“This seems a Home – And Home is not –
But what that Place could be –
Afflicts me – as a Setting Sun –
Where Dawn – knows how to be –”

 

This poem made me cry – my home was like ED’s, except we weren’t rich.

890.1864. A Coffin — is a small Domain.LSB

A Coffin — is a small Domain,
Yet able to contain
A Citizen {Rudiment} of Paradise
In it’s diminished Plane.

A Grave — is a restricted {an inferior} Breadth —
Yet ampler than the Sun —
And all the Seas He [Sun] populates
And Lands He looks upon

To Him [a person] who on its small {low} Repose
Bestows {Conferred} a single Friend —
Circumference without Relief —
Or Estimate — or End —
………………………………………………………..

My interpretation of F890B

Stanza 1.

A Coffin — is a small Domain,
Yet able to contain
A Citizen of Paradise
In it diminished Plane.

S1.

A coffin is a small domain, yet it is able to contain a person of great stature in its small frame.

Stanza 2.

A Grave — is a restricted Breadth —
Yet ampler than the Sun —small
And all the Seas He [Sun] populates
And Lands He looks upon

S2.

A grave may be restricted in size but the person in it may be bigger than the sun, the sea, and all the land the sun shines on.

Stanza 3.

To Him who on its small Repose
Bestows a single Friend —
Circumference without Relief —
Or Estimate — or End —

S3. Anyone who puts a friend in a coffin may obsess in painful circles without relief, or measure, or end.

In toto:

A coffin is a small domain, yet it is able to contain a person of great stature in its diminished frame. A grave may be restricted in size but the person in it may be bigger than the sun, the sea, and all the land the sun shines on. Anyone who puts a friend in a coffin may obsess in circles without relief, or measure, or end.
……………………………………………………………………………………

ED Lexicon gives 13 definitions for “circumference”. I think “Circumference” in Line 7 could fit Def. 1e, “going around in circles:

1. Navigation; circuit; circular motion; journey in a circular pattern; going around in circles; [fig.] wandering; migration; flight of departure and returning.
2. Horizon; periphery; the girth of the world; the circle of the earth’s globe; the whole circular surface of the earth including the sea and the land.
3. Zone; area; boundary; restriction; constraint; restraint; demarcation; delimitation; outer limit; the space included within a circle; [fig.] mortality; a lifetime; a succession of events; cycles of nature, mortality, and earth life.
4. Eternity; the ultimate reality; the life beyond; the all-encompassing circle of existence.
5. Edge of the sky; atmosphere which surrounds the earth; the sky as it encircles the globe; the cycles of air, wind, and clouds; the air currents which carry creatures in flight; the relationship of the earth to the sun.
6. Influence; sphere of action; [fig.] periphrasis [indirectness]; circumlocution; metaphorical extensions; lines of poetry; text in relation to context; connections that go beyond words; words as symbols for aspects of existence; meanings that lie within the limits of words; [fig.] polysemy; semantic connotations that go beyond the core meaning of a word (OED founder Richard Trench explains that synonyms are circles “with the same centre and the same circumference”); [metaphor] experience; reality; enlightenment; intelligence; revelation; inspiration; wisdom.
7. Perimeter; geometric line that bounds a circle; a single curved line that forms an encompassing boundary; the finite line that goes around in 360 degrees; the whole area enclosed by a circular line or spherical limit; the whole exterior surface of a round body; [fig.] experience; frontier; outlook.
8. Finitude; reality; exact dimensions of life; irrefutable aspects of reality; indisputable facts of existence; [paradox] infinitude; countless lines, planes, degrees, arcs, angles, diameters, projections, intersections, and repetitions of circles from a finite point.
9. Skull; round body; globe; spherical container.
10. Border; margin; diameter; [fig.] arc of space; projection linking separate entities; line connecting a single being to an experience in a certain place; [metaphor] memory; music beyond words; communication beyond eloquence.
11. Perspective; view; vista; ability to protract an infinite number of concentric circles from one specific point; [fig.] greater understanding; elevated awareness; broader view; expanded perception of life.
12. Comprehension; understanding; [personification] wonderful companion; cause of respect, admiration, and amazement.
13. Circumspection; discretion; cautiousness; secret realm; hidden core; inner vision; center of being; different way of perceiving.
    ……………………………………………………………………………

ED composed 16 “Circumference Poems”:

#           F #        Year     Title
1           283      1862    I should have been too glad, I see—
2           571      1863    Two Butterflies went out at Noon
3           601      1863    When Bells stop ringing – Church – begins –
4           610      1863    From Cocoon forth a Butterfly
5           633      1863    I saw no Way – The Heavens were stitched –
6           653      1863    No Crowd that has occurred
7           669      1863    An ignorance a Sunset
8           833      1864    Pain – expands the Time –
9           853      1864    She staked Her Feathers – Gained an Arc –
10         890      1864    A Coffin – is a small Domain
11         930      1865    The Poets light but Lamps –
12         1067    1865    Crisis is a Hair
13         1099    1865    At Half past Three, a single Bird
14         1297    1873    A Single Clover Plank
15         1636    1884    Circumference thou Bride of Awe
16         1730    ????     His mind of man, a secret makes

Susan Dickinson transcribed F1730 and ED’s manuscript is lost, so there is no date based on ED’s handwriting.