Emily Dickinson

The Snow That Never Drifts

The Snow That Never Drifts - meaning Summary

Transience and Consolatory Contrast

The poem contemplates a rare, fragrant snow that briefly softens winter’s severity and feels like a restorative visitation. Dickinson presents the snowfall as a gentle balm that mends stern loneliness and reshapes memory, suggesting that the contrast of pain and pleasure gives life its value. The final lines argue that even small, transient delights are meaningful because they are defined against hardship and remembered as part of experience.

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The Snow that never drifts – The transient, fragrant snow That comes a single time a Year Is softly driving now – So thorough in the Tree At night beneath the star That it was February’s Foot Experience would swear – Like Winter as a Face We stern and former knew Repaired of all but Loneliness By Nature’s Alibit – Were every storm so spice The Value could not be – We buy with contrast – Pang is good As near as memory –

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