An Explication of The Day Came Slow Till Five OClock

Katie Nichols Dr. Tyrer ENGL 3380 10/24/11 Explication of Emily Dickinson’s â€Å"The Day Came Slow till Five o’Clock† This poem, written by Emily Dickinson, explores the theme of nature and its relationship to a sunrise coming over a hill. The poem describes the appearance of a sunrise as a female guest in a large house is watching it from her window. The poet describes the unique splendor of watching a sunrise mixed with the sounds of a war battle. The speaker seems to be speaking from an observant standpoint, perhaps from above or below, and has no role in the poem, except as a narrator. The speaker feels compelled to speak at this particular time because watching the sunset at this particular time seems to be significant to the woman.†¦show more content†¦Either way, in declaring â€Å"how mighty’t was to stay, a guest in this stupendous place† (14-15), the poet is finalizing her opinion of the place, in all its splendor, and by calling it â€Å"the parlor of the day!† (16), she is explaining that this is only morning, the sun just rose, and there is much more to be said about the hours to come, and whether they will reflect rubies or topaz, death or life. Referring to the setting as a parlor also indicates that there may be religious undertones in this poem, although they are not present until the last stanza, and that the place the poet is speaking from is a parlor to heaven, implying that life on earth only foreshadows life after death, instead of determining it. Emily Dickinson often used imagery in her poems to deepen their meaning, leaving room for her readers to interpret them however they please. Regardless of the true meaning of the poem, and when and why it was written, Emily Dickinson certainly impacts her readers to this very day with the eloquence and poise she displays in her poetry. â€Å"The Day Came Slow† is a mixture of happiness and adoration, disputed by the notion of death that the gunshots so readily bring forth in the poet. Dickinson often placed religious undertones in her poems, and this is no different. This poe m contains many different meanings, and Dickinson may have been using this as a reminder