Speech Is a Prank of Parliament

Speech Is a Prank of Parliament - meaning Summary

Language Fails the Heart

This short poem insists that common signs of feeling—speech and tears—are unreliable. Speech is described as a public performance and tears as a physiological trick, while the heart can carry great burden yet remain outwardly unmoved. Dickinson is pointing to the gap between inner suffering and conventional expression: external signs can mislead about real emotional weight. The poem aligns with her recurring interest in the limits of language and visible gesture to convey inner life, emphasizing private experience over public display.