Faith Is a Fine Invention

Faith Is a Fine Invention - context Summary

Composed 1860, Published 1891

Written in 1860 and published posthumously in 1891, this very short poem wryly contrasts abstract faith with practical scientific tools. Dickinson presents faith as a "fine invention" useful for those who can see, but recommends microscopes in emergencies, compressing a larger intellectual tension—between spiritual belief and empirical observation—into a compact epigram. The poem reflects Dickinson’s engagement with contemporary debates about religion and science, using irony and brevity to question the sufficiency of faith when faced with practical crises.