Emily Dickinson

The Grass So Little Has to Do

The Grass So Little Has to Do - meaning Summary

Quiet Dignity of Small Things

Dickinson's poem imagines grass as a humble, content presence whose simple duties—hosting insects, holding sunlight, collecting dew, and decaying into fragrant hay—are quietly noble and self-sufficient. The speaker admires this lowly life and expresses desire to become hay, valuing restful continuity, modest usefulness, and peaceful transformation over human ambition. The tone mixes wonder, gentle irony, and acceptance of natural cycles.

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The Grass so little has to do – A Sphere of simple Green – With only Butterflies to brood And Bees to entertain – And stir all day to pretty Tunes The Breezes fetch along – And hold the Sunshine in its lap And bow to everything – And thread the Dews, all night, like Pearls – And make itself so fine A Duchess were too common For such a noticing – And even when it dies – to pass In Odors so divine – Like Lowly spices, lain to sleep – Or Spikenards, perishing – And then, in Sovereign Barns to dwell – And dream the Days away, The Grass so little has to do I wish I were a Hay –

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