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287
A Clock stopped—
Not the Mantel's—
Geneva's farthest skill
Can't put the puppet bowing—
That just now dangled still—
An awe came on the Trinket!
The Figures hunched, with pain—
Then quivered out of Decimals—
Into Degreeless Noon—
It will not stir for Doctors—
This Pendulum of snow—
This Shopman importunes it—
While cool—concernless No—
Nods from the Gilded pointers—
Nods from the Seconds slim—
Decades of Arrogance between
The Dial life—
And Him—
Emily Dickinson
Read poems about / on: snow, pain, life
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Click here to write your comments about this poem (A Clock stopped by Emily Dickinson)
Heike Domine (5/7/2008 12:27:00 PM)
This copy of the poem is poorly transposed- Emily used much shorter stops that are closest to hyphens but not. Using the long double-hyphens here is a travesty. |
Sean Andrews (4/22/2008 10:44:00 PM)
I agree on two parts the comments made below, first that it references death 'degreeless noon' likely a friend's death, 'the puppet/trinket'
The second part I agree with is life is measured in time 'quivered out of decimals' i.e. exiting life in to death 'degreeless noon'
the doctor is referenced twice first as a medical 'Doctor' then as a mortician 'Shopman' both professional 'cool' but with some compassion 'concernless-no' neither of which can stop the pain of loss 'pendulum of snow'
the 'Nods' can be taken in two ways first, literally, time moves on regardless of one's loss or figuratively the well to do 'Gilded pointers' and the more middle class 'seconds slim' both give common courtesy/sympathy towards the grieved but without real depth
'Him' could be either God or the departed, 'decades of arrogance' could be what the writer wishes she could take back before her friend had died... |
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Emily Dickinson
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