Come Slowly

Come Slowly - meaning Summary

Timid Longing for Union

The poem asks Eden—or an inexperienced beloved—to approach gently and savor intimacy slowly. Dickinson uses floral and bee imagery to portray tentative desire: the bashful speaker urges a shy mouth to "sip thy jasmines" like a late bee that circles, samples, and finally is absorbed in fragrance. The tone balances erotic awakening and reverent restraint, valuing gradual, attentive union over abrupt consummation. The closing image suggests dissolution into pleasure or spiritual merging, emphasizing tenderness, patience, and the transformative power of careful contact.