Emily Dickinson on Light
December 19th, 2006Save as PDF
The poems, or, more precisely, the images, of Emily Dickinson’s poetry have insinuated themselves into our inner lives. So many of them are familiar, and seem to so perfectly fit their subject that we have a hard time not thinking of hope, for example, as the thing with feathers.
Now that winter’s upon us, here’s Miss Emily making us aware of just how seriously dreary the season ahead can be. But she also makes us take fresh note of the way winter light enters a room. Only Edward Hopper has rendered diagonal illumination as evocatively. There is no way to explain "Like the Heft / Of Cathedral Tunes –". But it is uncannily true that we know exactly what she means.
There’s a certain Slant of light,
Winter Afternoons –
That oppresses, like the Heft
Of Cathedral Tunes –
Heavenly Hurt, it gives us –
We can find no scar,
But internal difference –
Where the Meanings, are –
None may teach it – Any –
‘Tis the Seal Despair –
An imperial affliction
Sent us of the Air –
When it comes, the Landscape listens –
Shadows – hold their breath –
When it goes, ‘tis like the Distance
On the look of Death –
