Poem Analysis - My Period Had Come For Prayer

A Failed Pilgrimage: Doubt and the Divine in Dickinson's Poem

Emily Dickinson's "My Period Had Come For Prayer" is a poignant exploration of faith and doubt, presented as a personal quest to encounter the divine. The poem begins with a determined, almost defiant, assertion of the speaker's intention to pray, but quickly transitions into a frustrated search for God's presence. The tone shifts from expectation to confusion and then to a sense of awe tinged with disappointment. Ultimately, the poem reveals a profound struggle to reconcile the abstract concept of God with the tangible world.

Dickinson's Religious Context

Emily Dickinson lived during a time of intense religious fervor and questioning in America. The Second Great Awakening had left a lasting impact, but alongside fervent belief existed a growing sense of intellectual and spiritual independence. Dickinson's own relationship with organized religion was complex, marked by both deep engagement and critical distance. This poem reflects that tension, showcasing a desire for connection with God while simultaneously challenging traditional notions of His accessibility and form.

The Elusive Nature of Faith

One of the central themes of the poem is the elusive nature of faith. The speaker's journey "upon the North" symbolizes a deliberate effort to transcend earthly limitations and reach a higher spiritual plane. However, this journey yields no concrete encounter with God. The "Vast Prairies of Air" and the absence of any "Chimney nor by Door" to indicate God's residence highlight the difficulty of finding tangible evidence of the divine. The speaker's frustrated question, "Infinitude Had’st Thou no Face / That I might look on Thee?" underscores the human need for a relatable, understandable God, a need that goes unmet in the poem.

Silence as a Divine Response

The theme of divine silence is powerfully developed through the poem's imagery. The lack of God's presence is not merely an absence, but an active withholding. The description of the vast, empty landscape emphasizes the feeling of being alone and unanswered. However, the "Silence condescended," suggesting that this silence itself is a form of communication, albeit a mysterious and challenging one. This silence forces the speaker to confront the limitations of her own understanding and the vastness of the unknown.

Awe and Unspoken Worship

The poem also explores the paradoxical relationship between prayer and worship. The speaker initially sets out to pray, but ultimately finds herself "awed beyond my errand" and worshipping instead. This suggests that the direct, transactional act of prayer is inadequate in the face of the divine's immensity. The experience transcends the need for specific requests or pronouncements, leading to a more profound, albeit unspoken, form of reverence. The shift from active seeking to passive worship implies a resignation to the unknowable nature of God and an acceptance of the limitations of human understanding.

Unbroken Prairies: Symbol of Untouched Faith

The recurring image of the "Vast Prairies of Air" and the "Unbroken by a Settler" landscape serves as a powerful symbol. These "Unbroken" prairies can be seen as the untouched space where God resides. This virgin landscape represents a realm of faith that remains pristine and unburdened by human interpretation or manipulation. It is both inviting and daunting, a space where the individual is confronted with the raw, unadulterated presence of the divine, or, perhaps, its profound absence. This open space also mirrors the speaker's own internal landscape, open and receptive to divine encounter, but ultimately faced with an unresolved search.

Concluding Thoughts: Embracing the Mystery

In conclusion, "My Period Had Come For Prayer" is a deeply personal and introspective poem that grapples with the complexities of faith, doubt, and the human desire for connection with the divine. Through vivid imagery and a shifting tone, Dickinson portrays a speaker who seeks to encounter God directly, only to find herself confronted with silence and the vastness of the unknown. Ultimately, the poem suggests that true faith may lie not in finding definitive answers, but in embracing the mystery and awe that arise from contemplating the infinite.