Tuesday Poetry: “There’s a certain Slant of light” (258) by Emily Dickinson
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 —
by Emily Dickinson, 1830 – 1886
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For today, I thought I’d depart from my recent focus on haiku — but stick with seasonal poetry. Like last week’s haiku, this poem by Emily Dickinson addresses the subject of winter.
I like the poem’s austerity and the way it alludes to the season rather than describing it directly: “telling it slant” indeed.
Whether you are currently experiencing high summer or the deep midwinter, I hope you will enjoy the poem.