I Often Passed the Village
poem 51
I Often Passed the Village - meaning Summary
Childhood, Death, and Comfort
The poem moves from a child’s curious observations of a quiet village to a calm acceptance of death as a gentle, restful place. Dickinson contrasts schooltime wonder with an earlier-than-expected summons, then depicts the grave as stiller and cooler than dawn or dusk. The closing lines offer a consoling, domestic voice inviting the reader to trust the promised care found beneath the earth, turning fear into intimate comfort.
Read Complete AnalysesI often passed the village When going home from school And wondered what they did there And why it was so still I did not know the year then In which my call would come Earlier, by the Dial, Than the rest have gone. It’s stiller than the sundown. It’s cooler than the dawn The Daisies dare to come here And birds can flutter down So when you are tired Or perplexed or cold Trust the loving promise Underneath the mould, Cry it’s I, take Dollie, And I will enfold!
Feel free to be first to leave comment.