Yesterday Is History

Yesterday Is History - meaning Summary

Past Redefined in Present

Dickinson’s short lyric reflects on the shifting status of the past. She names “yesterday” successively as history, poetry, philosophy and mystery, showing how the past changes its meaning depending on distance and perspective. The poem argues that the present escapes fixed knowledge: our clever speculation only makes yesterday flutter away. It emphasizes transience and the limits of human understanding when trying to pin down what has already passed.