Poem Analysis - I Send Two Sunsets

A Whimsical Competition

Emily Dickinson's "I Send Two Sunsets" is a charming and playfully competitive poem that explores themes of artistic creation and perception. The tone is lighthearted and confident, tinged with a gentle humor as the speaker compares her artistic endeavors with those of the natural world, personified as "Day." There's a subtle shift from competition to a quiet assertion of the speaker's own unique value. The poem, in essence, is a celebration of individual creativity and the power of perspective.

Artistic Ambition: A Race Against Nature

One of the central themes is the exploration of artistic ambition and creation. The speaker positions herself in direct competition with "Day" in creating sunsets. This competition isn't about brute force or grand scale, but rather about efficiency and portability. The poem cleverly suggests that artistic merit isn't solely determined by size or grandeur, but also by accessibility and personal impact. The speaker's goal is not necessarily to surpass nature but to offer a curated, personal experience of beauty.

The Power of Perspective

The poem also touches on the theme of subjectivity and the power of perspective. The speaker acknowledges that "His own was ampler," referring to Day's sunset. However, she quickly qualifies this by emphasizing the convenience of her own creation: "Mine is the more convenient / To Carry in the Hand." This highlights how personal perspective shapes our appreciation of art and nature. What may lack in size or scale can be compensated for by intimacy and portability, rendering the experience more valuable for the individual. The poem suggests that beauty exists not objectively, but in the eye (or hand) of the beholder.

Intimacy and the Personal Touch

The most recurring image is, of course, the sunset itself, but what’s more important is how it is presented. Dickinson offers two versions of the sunset: the sun's own, expansive and impressive, and hers, smaller and more easily “carried.” The act of "sending" these sunsets implies a gesture of intimacy and sharing. The hand becomes a symbol of this intimate creation, suggesting the artist's role as not just an observer, but also a maker and distributor of beauty. The image of carrying a sunset in one's hand emphasizes the personal and portable nature of the speaker's art.

A Quiet Assertion of Self

In conclusion, "I Send Two Sunsets" is a subtle yet powerful affirmation of the artist's role in shaping our perception of beauty. Through playful competition with nature and a focus on personal perspective, Dickinson's poem celebrates the unique value of human creativity. The poem demonstrates the idea that even a smaller, more "convenient" creation can hold significant meaning and offer a profound experience, highlighting that art is not about outdoing nature, but about capturing and sharing its essence in a personal and meaningful way. The footnote "undefined" is significant too as it can mean that the message of the poem is deliberately open to interpretation.