Emily Dickinson

The Soul Has Bandaged Moments

poem 512

The Soul Has Bandaged Moments - meaning Summary

Terror and Transcendence Alternate

Dickinson's poem portrays the soul as oscillating among paralysis, ecstatic release, and reimprisonment. Bandaged moments show a ghastly fright that silences and sullies affection. In contrast, moments of escape explode outward as brief, intoxicating liberty, likened to a bee freed from its rose. The final stanzas return to captivity, with the soul led away and silenced. The poem maps a recurring, inward struggle between terror and brief transcendence.

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The Soul has Bandaged moments When too appalled to stir She feels some ghastly Fright come up And stop to look at her Salute her with long fingers Caress her freezing hair Sip, Goblin, from the very lips The Lover hovered o’er Unworthy, that a thought so mean Accost a Theme so fair The soul has moments of Escape When bursting all the doors She dances like a Bomb, abroad, And swings upon the Hours, As do the Bee delirious borne Long Dungeoned from his Rose Touch Liberty then know no more, But Noon, and Paradise The Soul’s retaken moments When, Felon led along, With shackles on the plumed feet, And staples, in the Song, The Horror welcomes her, again, These, are not brayed of Tongue

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