Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson

Dear March - Come in

Dear March - Come in -    

How glad I am -

I hoped for you before -

Put down your Hat -           

You must have walked -

How out of Breath you are -             

Dear March, how are you, and the Rest -

Did you leave Nature well -              

Oh March, Come right upstairs with me -

I have so much to tell -

I got your Letter, and the Birds -     

The Maples never knew that you were coming -

I declare - how Red their Faces grew -                  

But March, forgive me -    

And all those Hills you left for me to Hue -    

There was no Purple suitable -         

You took it all with you -            

 

Who knocks? That April -

Lock the Door -

I will not be pursued -

He stayed away a Year to call           

When I am occupied -               

But trifles look so trivial     

As soon as you have come

              

That blame is just as dear as Praise

And Praise as mere as Blame.

Emily Dickinson 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZlRrdj840w

Emily Dickinson - "The Soul Has Bandaged Moments"

The Soul has Bandaged moments, 1862

The Soul has Bandaged moments - When too appalled to stir - She feels some ghastly Fright come up And stop to look at her - Salute her, with long fingers - Caress her freezing hair - Sip, Goblin, from the very lips The Lover - hovered - o'er - Unworthy, that a thought so mean Accost a Theme - so - fair - The soul has moments of Escape - When bursting all the doors - She dances like a Bomb, abroad, And swings upon the Hours, As do the Bee - delirious borne - Long Dungeoned from his Rose - Touch Liberty - then know no more, But Noon, and Paradise - The Soul's retaken moments - When, Felon led along, With shackles on the plumed feet, And staples, in the Song, The Horror welcomes her, again, These, are not brayed of Tongue -

L'Anima ha momenti Bendati - Quando troppo atterrita per muoversi - Sente arrivare un qualche spaventoso Terrore Che si ferma a guardarla - E la saluta, con le lunghe dita - Le accarezza i capelli agghiacciati - Deliba, Spettrale, dalle stesse labbra Su cui - l'Amante - indugiò - Indegno, che un'attenzione così vile Si accosti a un Soggetto - così - bello - L'anima ha momenti di Fuga - Quando sfonda ogni porta - Danza come una Bomba, là fuori, E oscilla sulle Ore, Come fa l'Ape - spinta al delirio - A lungo Separata dalla sua Rosa - Che tocca la Libertà - poi non capisce più niente, Tranne il Mezzogiorno, e il Paradiso - Momenti in cui l'Anima viene riacciuffata - Quando, condotta innanzi come un Criminale, Con catene ai piedi piumati, E chiavistelli, al suo Canto, L'Orrore le dà il benvenuto, di nuovo, Questi, non sono clangori di Lingua -

Emily Dickinson - "The Soul Has Bandaged Moments"

Emily Dickinson's "The Soul has Bandaged Moments" deals with the theme of internal suffering and emotional restraint. The poem is about moments of intense psychological or emotional pain that constrain the soul, comparing the soul to a bandaged or wounded entity. These "bandaged moments" refer to times when the soul is restricted, trapped, or unable to express its true nature because of grief or psychological turmoil.

Key themes in this poem include:

• Suffering and Restraint: Dickinson reflects on the limitations that emotional pain can place on an individual. The soul's freedom is tied to moments of pain and constriction.
• The Internal Struggle: The soul is portrayed as being in a battle within itself, where emotions are conflicting and struggle to emerge.
• Tragic Quietness: There is a quiet suffering, where the soul is bandaged in silence, and no outward expression of the pain is allowed to show.

*Giovanni Pascoli - "La Cavallina Storna" (The Little Horse)

Giovanni Pascoli's "La Cavallina Storna" (1897) is one of his most famous poems and is often considered a work that explores themes of innocence, loss, and childhood trauma, with a focus on the relationship between man and nature. Pascoli often depicts nature as both a source of solace and a reminder of painful experiences.

The poem centers on a dying little horse, which is symbolic of loss, innocence, and the cycle of life. The speaker observes the horse’s suffering, blending personal grief with the image of the animal’s slow death.

Key themes in this poem include:

• Innocence and Loss: The little horse represents the fragile, innocent aspects of life, which are doomed to suffer and die.
• Suffering of Nature: The horse's death is described with tenderness and quiet sorrow, emphasizing the gentle and natural suffering in the world.
• The Cycle of Life: The poem contemplates mortality and the inevitable end of all things, using the death of the horse as a metaphor for the passage of time and the loss of innocence.

Comparing the Two Poems

1. Theme of Suffering:

   • Both poems address suffering, but in different contexts. Dickinson’s "The Soul has Bandaged Moments" focuses on internal, psychological suffering. The soul is trapped in its own turmoil, restricted and unable to fully express itself. It conveys emotional suffering in a more abstract and universal sense.
   • Pascoli’s "La Cavallina Storna" presents a more physical, tangible form of suffering—the dying of a horse. This suffering is directly tied to the natural world, and it represents the loss of innocence, much like Dickinson's soul but more externalized.

2. Nature and the Human Condition:

   • In Dickinson's poem, nature plays less of a role, as the focus is on the soul’s inner conflict. However, Dickinson often uses metaphorical elements that evoke nature, but it is more about the human experience.
   • Pascoli, on the other hand, directly intertwines nature with human experience. The horse is not only a symbol of innocence but is also a natural being whose death is woven into the fabric of life. Nature in Pascoli’s work acts as both a reflection and an extension of human emotions.

3. Imagery and Symbolism:

   • Dickinson uses vivid metaphors such as "bandaged moments" to represent emotional wounds, focusing on the internal state of the soul. Her symbolism is more psychological, drawing on abstract concepts to communicate inner experiences.
   • Pascoli’s imagery is concrete, using the image of a dying horse to evoke feelings of sadness, loss, and mortality. The natural world here symbolizes the fragility of life, but it is less abstract than Dickinson’s exploration of the soul.

4. Tone and Mood:

   • Dickinson’s tone is one of restrained sorrow, as she speaks of the soul’s suffering in quiet, almost secret terms. The mood is somber and introspective, suggesting a sense of quiet desperation.
   • Pascoli’s tone in "La Cavallina Storna" is equally somber but also tender. There is a sense of melancholy, but also compassion for the little horse. The mood is one of sorrow mixed with a deep reflection on the natural world’s inevitable suffering.

5. Philosophical Outlook:

   • Dickinson’s poem seems to reflect a more internal, psychological view of suffering—suggesting that internal wounds are just as impactful, if not more so, than physical suffering. It hints at the universality of human pain.
   • Pascoli’s work, while also philosophical, takes a more existential stance, contemplating life and death as part of a natural cycle. There is an emphasis on the innocence lost in this process, and the poem can be seen as a meditation on the inevitability of loss.

Conclusion

While both Dickinson and Pascoli explore the theme of suffering, they do so in very different ways. Dickinson’s "The Soul has Bandaged Moments" focuses on the inner emotional and psychological struggles of the soul, whereas Pascoli’s "La Cavallina Storna" frames suffering within the context of nature and the natural cycle of life. Dickinson's approach is more abstract, internal, and individualistic, while Pascoli’s is rooted in the tangible world, exploring the connection between humans, nature, and loss. Both, however, share a melancholic tone and a reflection on the pain and fragility inherent in the human and natural experience.