Emily Dickinson

Exhilaration Is Within

poem 383

Exhilaration Is Within - meaning Summary

Inner Joy Surpasses Outward Pleasures

The poem argues that true exhilaration is an inward state stronger than any external intoxication. Using the image of wine, it contrasts royal outer pleasures with a diviner, internal brand that the soul alone can consume or reserve. This joy is not merely festive or recreational but a profound self-achievement available to the individual. The closing image of the Rhine kept in a closet suggests abundant inner resources that external offerings cannot match. Overall, the poem emphasizes inner fulfillment over sensory or social stimulation.

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Exhilaration is within There can no Outer Wine So royally intoxicate As that diviner Brand The Soul achieves Herself To drink or set away For Visitor Or Sacrament ‘Tis not of Holiday To stimulate a Man Who hath the Ample Rhine Within his Closet Best you can Exhale in offering.

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