I like to see it lap the Miles: Poet & Context

Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson is one of the most iconic and prolific poets in American literature, known for her use of slant rhyme, unconventional punctuation, and unique perspective on various themes like death, nature, and hope.

“After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes—”

This poem explores the nature of suffering and the inevitable numbness that occurs after a great pain or loss.

Structure and Language Techniques

Uses dashes for dramatic, abrupt interruptions and to emphasize words
Frequent use of enjambment allows the flow of thought from one line to the next without necessary punctuation
Employs alliteration – ‘Formal feeling comes’, ‘Boots of Lead’, ‘Freezing persons’

Themes & Linking poems

Mortality and death as themes, akin to “Because I could not stop for Death—”
Depicts emotional pain and loss, like in “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain”
Theme of recovery or resurrection ties it to “I started Early – Took My Dog”

Key Quotes

“After great pain, a formal feeling comes”
“The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs”
“A Quartz contentment, like a stone”

Poet & Context

Emily Dickinson’s life of seclusion is evident in the solitary suffering expressed in the poem.
The “Quartz contentment, like a stone” could hint at her upbringing in Puritan New England, which emphasized Emotional restraint.
This poem explores emotional states and processes, a central theme in Dickinson’s poetry.

“I Heard a Fly Buzz - when I died—”

This poem provides a unique perspective on the moment of death and what may follow afterwards.

Structure & Language Techniques

The dashes signify pauses, creating a sense of suspense and anticipation
Use of slant rhyme plays into Dickinson’s unconventional style, seen in ‘room’ and ‘storm’
Use of simile: ‘“There interposed a Fly – With blue – uncertain – stumbling Buzz – Between the light – and me –”’

Themes & Linking poems

Themes of death and mortality link it with “Because I could not stop for Death—”
The material and the spiritual world intersecting, found also in “A Bird came down the Walk—”
The seemingly insignificant fly represents a break from the solemnity of death, providing a link to Dickinson’s focus on the mundane in “The Grass so little has to do—”

Key quotes

“I heard a Fly buzz - when I died”
“Between the light – and me”

Poet & Context

Intriguing exploration of mortality possibly due to the abundance of death Dickinson witnessed in her lifetime, including the loss of close friends and family.
Preserving the final moments before death in a somber, dramatic setting, emphasizes the high mortality rate in 19th century New England due to disease.
Dickinson’s reclusive lifestyle and her deep exploration of death suggest her preoccupation with the afterlife and what awaits beyond it.

“I Like to See It Lap the Miles—”

This poem uses vivid and exciting language to describe a train journey, a symbol of industrial progress during Dickinson’s time.

Structure & Language Techniques

The irregular rhythm echoes that of a train journey
Use of personification gives the train animal-like qualities
Imagery of the wilderness being tamed symbolizes progress.

Themes & Linking poems

Themes of change and transformation, similar to “The Times are Tidy—”
Dickinson’s interest in Nature, as seen in “A Bird came down the Walk—”

Key quotes

“I like to see it lap the miles”
“And neigh like Boanerges”

Poet & Context

The poem represents Dickinson’s engagement with the rapid technological advances of her time.
The excitement mixed with dread in response to the encroachment of industry on nature suggests her apprehension about the loss of natural habitats.
Her personification of the train suggests an attempt to reconcile with these changes by humanizing them.