Poem Analysis - It Can T Be Summer

A Moment of Bewilderment

Emily Dickinson's "It Can’t Be Summer!" is a short but potent exploration of disorientation and the unsettling feeling of being caught between states. The poem moves from a denial of summer's arrival to a consideration of death, all shrouded in a sense of bewildered questioning. The initial tone is one of disbelief, which gradually shifts into a more contemplative and slightly fearful mood as the speaker grapples with the unknown. The poem's brevity amplifies its impact, leaving the reader suspended in the same state of uncertainty as the speaker.

Crossing the Threshold: A Journey of Uncertainty

The poem's opening lines immediately establish a sense of being out of sync with the natural order: "It can’t be Summer! / That got through!" This suggests a perceived premature arrival, an interruption of the expected cycle. The speaker then references "that long town of White to cross / Before the Blackbirds sing!" This "town of White" acts as a symbolic barrier, a period of waiting or purification that must be traversed before the arrival of the vibrant "Blackbirds" of spring. The image of crossing a white town could symbolize a period of illness or even the passage towards death, a sterile and isolating experience before the expected rebirth or renewal.

Mortality's Unexpected Hue

The theme of mortality emerges in the second stanza, intertwining with the initial seasonal confusion. The lines "It can’t be Dying! / It’s too Rouge –" introduce a striking contrast. The expected paleness associated with death is replaced by a vibrant "Rouge," suggesting a defiance of conventional imagery. Dickinson subverts the traditional association of death with white, further emphasizing the disorientation that permeates the poem. The speaker appears to be rebelling, even in death, against the expected aesthetic.

Sunset's Authoritative Silence

The image of the sunset is particularly powerful. The line "So Sunset shuts my question down / With Cuffs of Chrysolite!" shows the natural world ending the speaker's bewilderment, but not with comfort or resolution, rather with a form of gilded confinement. "Chrysolite" (a golden-green gemstone) suggests beauty and value, but the "Cuffs" imply restraint and a forceful silencing. The sunset, acting as an authority, provides no answers, only a beautiful, inescapable conclusion to the speaker's questioning. It's an ending that is both glorious and final, underscoring the ultimate mystery surrounding death and the limitations of human understanding.

A Lingering Question in Twilight

In conclusion, "It Can’t Be Summer!" is a captivating exploration of disorientation, grappling with themes of seasonal disruption and the unsettling prospect of death. Through vivid imagery and contrasting colors, Dickinson creates a world where the expected order is overturned, and the speaker is left questioning the nature of existence itself. The poem's significance lies in its ability to capture that fleeting moment of uncertainty, leaving the reader to contemplate the mysteries that lie beyond our comprehension. The forceful silencing by the sunset, clad in beautiful "Cuffs of Chrysolite", leaves the lingering feeling of a question forever unanswered.