I Tie My Hat I Crease My Shawl
poem 443
I Tie My Hat I Crease My Shawl - meaning Summary
Routine Masks Inner Void
The poem shows a speaker who performs daily rituals—tying a hat, arranging blossoms—with mechanical precision to conceal an inner emptiness or halted existence. Small tasks become ways to simulate normalcy and hide what they truly feel from scrutinizing eyes. Though the speaker suggests a dangerous, contained emotion like a held "bomb," they continue life’s labors precisely, maintaining appearances even when the personal reward or vitality seems spent.
Read Complete AnalysesI tie my Hat I crease my Shawl Life’s little duties do precisely As the very least Were infinite to me I put new Blossoms in the Glass And throw the old away I push a petal from my gown That anchored there I weigh The time ’twill be till six o’clock I have so much to do And yet Existence some way back Stopped struck my tickling through We cannot put Ourself away As a completed Man Or Woman When the Errand’s done We came to Flesh upon There may be Miles on Miles of Nought Of Action sicker far To simulate is stinging work To cover what we are From Science and from Surgery Too Telescopic Eyes To bear on us unshaded For their sake not for Ours ‘Twould start them We could tremble But since we got a Bomb And held it in our Bosom Nay Hold it it is calm Therefore we do life’s labor Though life’s Reward be done With scrupulous exactness To hold our Senses on
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