I like to see it lap the Miles: Themes & Linking Poems

I like to see it lap the Miles: Themes & Linking Poems

Structure & Language Techniques

• The Train as an Animal: Dickinson uses the metaphor of the train “lapping the miles” and “supping” to personify it as an animal being fed.
• Rhyme and Meter: The poem features a loose ballad meter, with an ABCB rhyme scheme, characteristic of many Dickinson poems.
• Use of Imagery: Dickinson uses vivid imagery to describe the train’s movement, like “prodigious step” and “horrid hooting stanza.”

Themes & Linked Poems

• Technology and Nature: Dickinson explores the relationship between technology - represented by the train - and nature. This theme can be linked to other poems, like ‘I like to see it lap the Miles’ and ‘Steam Train’.
• Progress and Change: The poem can be read as Dickinson’s commentary on the rapid changes brought by industrialisation. This theme is also present in her poem ‘The Railway Train’.

Key Quotes

• “It licks the Valleys up”: This powerful image shows the train’s dominance over the landscape, reflecting the theme of technology overpowering nature.
• “Amine – a Gale – Express”: This metaphor represents the train as a powerful force of nature, further emphasizing the theme of technology mirroring nature.

Poet & Context

• Dickinson’s Life: Emily Dickinson was a 19th-century American poet, known for her unique style and reclusive lifestyle. Her fascination with nature and its intersection with the man-made world often comes across in her poetry.
• Historical Context: ‘I like to see it lap the miles’ was written at the height of the Industrial Revolution, a time of rapid technological advancement, which is reflected in her poems.

Remember, narrowing down the analysis of each point to specific lines of the poem will help solidify your understanding, and make links between different elements of Dickinson’s poetry.