A Poem by Emily Dickinson
A poem by a woman named Emily Dickinson begins:
"I'll tell you how the sun rose,
A ribbon at a time.
The steeples swam in amethyst,
The news like squirrels ran."
The metaphorical language of the poem may be a bit confusing, but that is the beauty of poetry.
The "steeples" in the poem could refer to the pointed spires of multiple church buildings. They
"swam" in the amethyst light of the rising sun. The mention of "news" could be a reference to the
news of the sun rising, perhaps spreading as quickly as squirrels running.
Each section of the poem is called a "stanza," with a gap in between. The idea of a ribbon is
introduced at the beginning of the poem, but is not mentioned again. The poem continues:
"That must have been the sun coming up.
The hills untied their bonnets. . . . . . "
The speaker in the poem observes hills in the distance through her window. The mention of
"bonnets" could be a reference to the way the hills appear as if they are removing their hats or
covering.
The Bobolink is a bird not found in the UK. It is mostly black with white markings, especially in
the male bird. They are called Bobolinks because that is the sound they make. They make a lot of
chattering noise and go off to find food when the sun rises.
The poem is simple with little rhyming. It describes a purple stile which little yellow boys and girls
were climbing all the while. The poem tells how the sun rose and how it set. It ends with a
religious connotation as people, boys and girls, are sometimes referred to as a flock in the
church.
Observations on the Bobolink
● Mostly black bird with white markings, especially in males
● Called Bobolinks due to the sound they make
● Active when sun rises to find food
Analysis of the Poem
The poem is simple with little rhyming. It describes a purple stile which little yellow boys and girls
were climbing all the while. The poem tells how the sun rose and how it set. It ends with a
religious connotation as people, boys and girls, are sometimes referred to as a flock in the
church.
Emily Dickinson's "A Sunrise and a Sunset" Poem
Emily Dickinson was a poet who was very interested in nature and the view from her window. One
of her poems, "A Sunrise and a Sunset," describes the beauty of the beginning and end of days.
Poem Text
"A Sunrise and a Sunset
Are Simplicity Itself
And yet, incessantly,
Full of spectacle are they.
A poem by a woman named Emily Dickinson begins:
"I'll tell you how the sun rose,
A ribbon at a time.
The steeples swam in amethyst,
The news like squirrels ran."
The metaphorical language of the poem may be a bit confusing, but that is the beauty of poetry.
The "steeples" in the poem could refer to the pointed spires of multiple church buildings. They
"swam" in the amethyst light of the rising sun. The mention of "news" could be a reference to the
news of the sun rising, perhaps spreading as quickly as squirrels running.
Each section of the poem is called a "stanza," with a gap in between. The idea of a ribbon is
introduced at the beginning of the poem, but is not mentioned again. The poem continues:
"That must have been the sun coming up.
The hills untied their bonnets. . . . . . "
The speaker in the poem observes hills in the distance through her window. The mention of
"bonnets" could be a reference to the way the hills appear as if they are removing their hats or
covering.
The Bobolink is a bird not found in the UK. It is mostly black with white markings, especially in
the male bird. They are called Bobolinks because that is the sound they make. They make a lot of
chattering noise and go off to find food when the sun rises.
The poem is simple with little rhyming. It describes a purple stile which little yellow boys and girls
were climbing all the while. The poem tells how the sun rose and how it set. It ends with a
religious connotation as people, boys and girls, are sometimes referred to as a flock in the
church.
Observations on the Bobolink
● Mostly black bird with white markings, especially in males
● Called Bobolinks due to the sound they make
● Active when sun rises to find food
Analysis of the Poem
The poem is simple with little rhyming. It describes a purple stile which little yellow boys and girls
were climbing all the while. The poem tells how the sun rose and how it set. It ends with a
religious connotation as people, boys and girls, are sometimes referred to as a flock in the
church.
Emily Dickinson's "A Sunrise and a Sunset" Poem
Emily Dickinson was a poet who was very interested in nature and the view from her window. One
of her poems, "A Sunrise and a Sunset," describes the beauty of the beginning and end of days.
Poem Text
"A Sunrise and a Sunset
Are Simplicity Itself
And yet, incessantly,
Full of spectacle are they.
