Morning Means Milking to the Farmer

Morning Means Milking to the Farmer - context Summary

Composed 1862, Published 1891

Written in 1862 and later printed in the 1891 collection Poems, Second Series, this short lyric presents morning as a mutable symbol whose meaning shifts with social role and feeling. Dickinson lists how dawn signifies practical labor for the farmer, chance for the lover, indulgence for the epicure, catastrophe for brides, and metaphysical testing for faith. The poem charts contrasting human perspectives rather than narrating events, inviting readers to see a single natural moment refracted into many personal truths. No specific occasion or dedication is recorded for the poem.