Emily Dickinson is renowned for her unique poetic style and her introspective examinations of life, death, and nature. One of the central themes of Dickinson’s poetry is time—its passage, its inevitability, and its emotional resonance. While many readers are familiar with some of Dickinson’s most famous works, such as “Because I could not stop for Death,” her exploration of time in other poems remains equally poignant and deserving of attention. In this article, we delve into eleven remarkable Emily Dickinson poems about time, many of which are less well-known but offer profound insights into the human experience of temporality.
The 11 Great Emily Dickinson Poems About Time You May Not Know
1. “I Felt a Funeral in My Brain”
In “I Felt a Funeral in My Brain,” Dickinson explores the psychological experience of time in the face of death. The poem begins with an unsettling image of a funeral taking place within the speaker’s mind, creating a sense of inevitable progression toward an end.
“And then a Plank in Reason, broke,
And I dropped down, and down—
And hit a World, at every plunge,
And Finished knowing—then—”
The progression of time is portrayed as a descent, a fall into something uncontrollable, as though the speaker’s reason is being eroded by the inexorable passage of time. The metaphor of falling suggests the inevitability of loss, not only of life but of rationality itself. Dickinson uses the image of a funeral to signify the end of an era—whether it is the loss of a loved one, or perhaps the death of the self. This poem conveys the internal passage of time, encapsulating both the mental and emotional toll of facing the end.
2. “The Day Came Slow, Till Five O’Clock”
This poem takes a more reflective stance on the experience of waiting. Time is not just a measure of hours and minutes, but an emotional state. Dickinson illustrates how the experience of waiting can stretch time until it becomes an almost unbearable entity.
“The Day came slow, till Five O’Clock—
Then jumped the months away—
There was a Man—of perfect Prose—
And He was gone again—”
The poem highlights the subjective nature of time. The speaker’s perception of time seems warped—while the day progresses slowly, the evening rushes in unexpectedly. This distortion in the flow of time suggests the tension between anticipation and fulfillment. The “Man of perfect Prose” symbolizes an event or a moment of significance, yet it is fleeting, illustrating how time accelerates once a particular moment is reached. Dickinson shows how time is often both an oppressive force and one that slips away quickly once a goal or event is realized.
3. “The Hours Well Spent”
In this brief yet evocative poem, Dickinson reflects on the preciousness of time, especially when it is spent meaningfully. The simplicity of the poem’s structure contrasts with the profundity of its theme, emphasizing how moments of significance are often fleeting.
“The Hours well spent, are like the Hours
That take us by surprise—
Their Minutes are the finest of the kind—
And in their flights—are wise—”
Here, Dickinson suggests that time well spent is not bound by the traditional ticking of the clock. Rather, it is marked by moments of depth, clarity, and surprise. The poem suggests that time is best understood not in the way it is measured, but in how it is lived. Dickinson’s mention of “Minutes” being “wise” conveys a subtle irony: even though time is often considered fleeting or trivial, in moments of depth, it becomes something meaningful and enduring.
4. “A Clock Stopped”
“A Clock Stopped” poignantly examines the concept of time in relation to life’s end. In this poem, Dickinson uses the image of a stopped clock as a metaphor for death, encapsulating the idea that death marks the cessation of time for an individual.
“A Clock stopped—
Not the Mantel’s—
By the Root—of the Wood—
The Tree’s—dropped—
Just as soon as the Moment—
The watch’s Time—was gone—”
The clock, a powerful symbol of time, stops unexpectedly, much like life does when death arrives. Dickinson’s use of “Root” and “Wood” suggests that time’s cessation is not just a physical stoppage but a return to nature, to a timeless cycle. The poem suggests that death is not an abrupt end but part of a larger, ongoing process. The reference to the “Tree’s” drop may evoke the natural process of falling leaves, implying that life—and time—are cyclical, always moving toward a new beginning.
5. “Time is a Test”
In this poem, Dickinson reflects on how time acts as both a test of endurance and a measure of change. Time becomes a force of trial, evaluating one’s resilience through the lens of experience and growth.
“Time is a Test—of Time—is
What an Eye shall find—
In the ticking of the Clock—
To make it slow— or Blind—”
Here, Dickinson explores the relationship between perception and time. While the clock ticks continuously, the speaker contemplates how time can either be a friend or foe—how it can be perceived as slow or fast depending on the individual’s emotional state. Time is depicted as a test that challenges both the physical and emotional realms of life. The use of “Blind” suggests that sometimes time’s passage can overwhelm or obscure perception, highlighting the internal struggle against the relentless march of time.
6. “The Soul Selects Her Own Society”
In this poem, time is presented as an intrinsic part of the individual’s inner world. Dickinson imagines time as a factor in personal decisions, illustrating the way the soul navigates time and relationships in a very selective manner.
“The Soul selects her own Society—
Then—shuts the Door—
To her divine Majority—
Present no more—”
Time here is not measured externally but internally. The soul, acting with agency, chooses its path and shuts the door to external influences. Dickinson underscores the importance of self-direction within time’s limitations, suggesting that the soul’s choice of “Society” represents moments in life that are spent in solitude or contemplation. The poem implies that time is, to an extent, controlled by the soul’s decisions to either engage with or withdraw from the external world, making it a deeply personal experience.
7. “I Died for Beauty”
In one of her more well-known works, Dickinson meditates on the interplay between time, beauty, and death. Time is portrayed as a fundamental force in both the creation and destruction of beauty, while the poem touches on the notion of eternal sleep as a rest from time.
“I died for Beauty—but was scarce
Adjusted in the Tomb,
When One who died for Truth, was lain
In an adjoining Room—”
The poem presents a direct juxtaposition of two abstract concepts—Beauty and Truth—each tied to death. Dickinson’s use of time here underscores the idea that both beauty and truth, while often revered, eventually succumb to the passage of time. In the speaker’s death, time is no longer relevant; instead, it is an equalizer, reducing the great concepts to mere physical mortality. The “Tomb” suggests an escape from time, where both beauty and truth coexist in a timeless state.
8. “The Sun kept setting”
In this subtle poem, Dickinson examines time as a natural force. The image of the sun setting is used to explore the cyclical nature of time, where each end is followed by a new beginning.
“The Sun kept setting—setting still—
No Stop—at all—
The Clock kept ticking—tick—tick—tick—
Like a servant—of the Hall—”
The poem suggests the relentless, mechanical nature of time. Dickinson uses the setting sun as a natural representation of time’s progression, but the sun also becomes a symbol of finality, implying that all things reach their end. The clock’s ticking, however, remains unyielding, emphasizing the inevitability of time’s forward movement. The poem reflects a sense of resignation, as the “Sun kept setting” without pause, much like how one must accept the passage of time in life and death.
9. “This is my letter to the World”
This early Dickinson poem reflects on the idea of legacy and the ways in which time affects human contributions to the world. The speaker’s letter is not just a communication to the world but a testament to how time shapes perception.
“This is my letter to the World,
That never wrote to Me—
The simple News that Nature told—
With tender Majesty
Her message is committed to
The Paper of my Soul—”
Time in this poem is a force that outlives the individual. The “letter to the World” becomes a metaphor for the speaker’s legacy, suggesting that one’s impact can transcend time, even if it is not acknowledged during the individual’s life. The reference to “Nature” presents time as a natural and unchanging force, yet one that is intricately connected to the human experience. In this way, Dickinson explores how one’s voice may endure in the face of time, like the “tender Majesty” of nature itself.
10. “A Narrow Fellow in the Grass”
While “A Narrow Fellow in the Grass” is primarily a poem about fear and nature, it subtly deals with time by focusing on the way moments can seem timeless or suspended in a fleeting instant of danger.
“A Narrow Fellow in the Grass
Occasionally rides—
You may have met him—did you not
His notice sudden is—”
Time is suspended in this poem when the speaker encounters the snake. The moment of danger causes the world to seem to slow down, emphasizing how time can warp in moments of heightened emotion. The phrase “His notice sudden is” suggests that time, in such moments, feels like an unexpected disruption. The snake represents both the unknown and the swift passage of time that can intrude upon a calm existence.
11. “The Bustle in a House”
This poem captures the feeling of time in its more domestic form, highlighting the way life moves in cycles of activity and rest. Dickinson uses the bustle in a house as a metaphor for the fleeting and ever-changing nature of time.
“The Bustle in a House
The Morning after Death
Is solemnest of industries
Enacted upon Earth—”
In this poem, Dickinson contrasts the bustle of daily life with the stillness brought by death. The “Morning after Death” marks the passage of time, signaling a shift from the activity of life to the calm that follows. Dickinson suggests that time is not merely measured by events but by how the world changes in response to loss. The bustle becomes a symbol of the inevitable nature of time’s progression—the way life continues despite loss, carrying time forward relentlessly.
Conclusion
These eleven poems offer a rich exploration of time through the lens of Emily Dickinson’s distinctive voice. By examining time in relation to death, beauty, perception, and the natural world, Dickinson invites readers to confront time not as a fixed entity but as a multifaceted experience—one that moves, eludes, and impacts us all. Whether through the ticking of a clock or the finality of a sunset, Dickinson’s poetry challenges us to reflect on how we experience time and how it shapes our lives.
