We See Comparatively
poem 534
We See Comparatively - meaning Summary
Perspective Shrinks the Colossal
The poem explores how time and changed perspective reduce what once seemed overwhelming. Something immense that dominated and caused anguish yesterday now appears small or manageable by morning. Dickinson suggests that loss or wrenching may be a kindness, sparing us later humiliation when the grand thing proves trivial. The final image reverses scale: former giants become minor, implying relief or rueful recognition rather than triumph or strict consolation.
Read Complete AnalysesWe see Comparatively The Thing so towering high We could not grasp its segment Unaided Yesterday This Morning’s finer Verdict Makes scarcely worth the toil A furrow Our Cordillera Our Apennine a Knoll Perhaps ’tis kindly done us The Anguish and the loss The wrenching for His Firmament The Thing belonged to us To spare these Striding Spirits Some Morning of Chagrin The waking in a Gnat’s embrace Our Giants further on
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