Like Eyes That Looked on Wastes
poem 458
Like Eyes That Looked on Wastes - meaning Summary
Mutual Ruin and Dependency
The poem describes an encounter with a face that mirrors a wasteland: blank, night-divided, and hopeless. The speaker recognizes the shared origin of their misery and refuses to offer help because the suffering is mutual and self-caused. Dickinson frames a paradox of interdependence: neither party can be freed or elevated without the other, so they remain bound together in a simultaneous rule and ruin. The tone is resigned and metaphysical.
Read Complete AnalysesLike eyes that looked on Wastes Incredulous of Ought But Blank and steady Wilderness Diversified by Night Just Infinites of Nought As far as it could see So looked the face I looked upon So looked itself on Me I offered it no Help Because the Cause was Mine The Misery a Compact As hopeless as divine Neither would be absolved Neither would be a Queen Without the Other Therefore We perish tho’ We reign
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