Poem Analysis - We Cover Thee Sweet Face

Introduction: A Farewell tinged with Regret

Emily Dickinson's "We Cover Thee Sweet Face" is a poignant exploration of loss, regret, and the desperate desire for connection. The poem opens with a gesture of finality and transitions into a melancholic reflection on missed opportunities. There’s a tangible sense of sorrow and longing interwoven with a hint of self-reproach. The mood shifts from an initial act of covering, suggesting closure, to a yearning for reciprocation that never came.

Love's Scarcity and Abundance

One central theme is the insufficiency of love offered during the subject's lifetime. The lines "And blame the scanty love/We were Content to show" highlight a profound regret for holding back affection. This theme of withheld love contrasts sharply with the imagined abundance offered posthumously: "Augmented Sweet a Hundred fold/If Thou would’st take it now." The poem suggests that only in the face of irrevocable loss does the true extent of love become apparent, creating a painful disparity between what was given and what could have been.

Mortality and Remembrance

The poem grapples with the theme of mortality through the act of covering the face, a symbolic gesture of death. The speakers acknowledge that they will follow the deceased "until/Thou notice Us no more," emphasizing the unidirectional nature of death and the fading connection between the living and the dead. The "reluctant turn away" signifies the survivors' gradual acceptance of the finality of death, forced to "Con Thee o’er and o’er" in memory alone.

The Symbol of the Covered Face

The primary symbol in the poem is the "Sweet Face" that is covered. This act carries several possible interpretations. Literally, it represents the covering of a corpse's face in preparation for burial, suggesting physical death. Figuratively, it could symbolize the end of a relationship, a turning away from intimacy, or a refusal to acknowledge someone's emotional needs. The face, traditionally a window to the soul, is now hidden, signifying both a physical and emotional distance. The phrase, "We Cover Thee Sweet Face" suggests a forced separation, but the "Sweet Face" implies that the speakers once cherished this person and now regret any part they had in the separation.

Conclusion: A Legacy of Regret

In conclusion, "We Cover Thee Sweet Face" is a powerful meditation on loss, love, and regret. Dickinson explores the pain of realizing the depth of one's feelings only after the opportunity to express them has passed. The poem resonates with a universal human experience: the yearning for connection, the fear of inadequacy, and the haunting awareness of mortality. The final image of offering love "a Hundred fold" underscores the poem's central message about the importance of cherishing relationships and expressing affection fully while there is still time. It's a cautionary tale and reminder that withheld affection can become the greatest regret of all.