Emily Dickinson

The Body Grows Without

poem 578

The Body Grows Without - meaning Summary

Body as Shelter for Spirit

Dickinson presents the body as a practical, reliable dwelling for the spirit. She contrasts the body's external growth with the spirit’s tendency to hide, yet insists the body’s "temple" remains open and trustworthy. When the soul seeks refuge honestly, the body provides secure, inviting shelter and does not betray that trust. The poem quietly affirms a respectful, reciprocal relationship between physical form and inward life.

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The Body grows without The more convenient way That if the Spirit like to hide Its Temple stands, alway, Ajar secure inviting&md ash; It never did betray The Soul that asked its shelter In solemn honesty

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