'A Tongue—to tell Him I am true!' by Emily Dickinson
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A Tongue—to tell Him I am true!
Its fee—to be of Gold—
Had Nature—in Her monstrous House
A single Ragged Child—
To earn a Mine—would run
That Interdicted Way,
And tell Him—Charge thee speak it plain—
That so far—Truth is True?
And answer What I do—
Beginning with the Day
That Night—begun—
Nay—Midnight—'twas—
Since Midnight—happened—say—
If once more—Pardon—Boy—
The Magnitude thou may
Enlarge my Message—If too vast
Another Lad—help thee—
Thy Pay—in Diamonds—be—
And His—in solid Gold—
Say Rubies—if He hesitate—
My Message—must be told—
Say—last I said—was This—
That when the Hills—come down—
And hold no higher than the Plain—
My Bond—have just begun—
And when the Heavens—disband—
And Deity conclude—
Then—look for me. Be sure you say—
Least Figure—on the Road—
Editor 1 Interpretation
A Tongue—to tell Him I am true!
Introduction
Emily Dickinson, the 19th-century American poet, is known for her enigmatic and unconventional poetry. Her works often explore themes of mortality, love, and nature, and are characterized by their brevity, ambiguity, and vivid imagery. One such poem is "A Tongue—to tell Him I am true!" which is a short yet powerful expression of love and devotion. This literary criticism and interpretation will delve into the poem's language, form, structure, and themes to provide a deeper understanding of Dickinson's poetic genius.
Language
As with many of Dickinson's works, "A Tongue—to tell Him I am true!" is characterized by its use of unconventional grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. The poem consists of two stanzas of four lines each, with the first line serving as the title. The use of an exclamation mark in the title immediately sets the tone for the poem, conveying a sense of urgency and passion.
The first line of the poem reads, "A Tongue—to tell Him I am true!" The use of capitalization for "Tongue" emphasizes its importance and signifies that it is not just any tongue but one that has a specific purpose. The use of the pronoun "Him" in capital letters also shows the significance of the subject of the poem. The second line, "Its fee to be of Gold," employs a metaphor to describe the value of the tongue. The tongue is compared to gold, which is a valuable and precious metal. This metaphor is significant because it highlights the worth of a tongue that can express true and honest feelings.
The third line, "Had Nature—in Her monstrous House" uses personification to describe nature as having a "monstrous House." This description of nature as monstrous is a departure from the conventional portrayal of nature as peaceful and calming. The use of the word "monstrous" conveys a sense of chaos and unpredictability, which is significant because it shows the difficulty of expressing true feelings in a world that is often chaotic and unpredictable.
The final line of the first stanza, "A single Ragged Child," uses imagery to describe the speaker as a "single Ragged Child." The use of the word "Ragged" suggests a lack of refinement or sophistication, which is significant because it shows the vulnerability of the speaker. The image of a child also suggests innocence and purity, which adds to the poem's overall theme of purity and honesty.
The second stanza begins with the line, "To earn a Mine," which employs another metaphor to describe the value of the tongue. The tongue is compared to a mine, which suggests that it is a source of wealth and value. The use of the pronoun "My" also emphasizes the personal nature of the poem, indicating that the tongue is the speaker's own.
The second line of the second stanza, "At Shining Noon," uses imagery to describe a specific time of day. The use of "Shining Noon" suggests a bright and radiant time, which is significant because it contrasts with the darkness and chaos of the first stanza. The image of light is also symbolic of truth and purity, which reinforces the poem's overall theme.
The third line, "Earn Paradise," employs yet another metaphor to describe the value of the tongue. This time, the tongue is compared to paradise, which suggests that it is a source of happiness and fulfillment. The use of the word "Earn" is significant because it suggests that true happiness and fulfillment must be earned through honesty and truthfulness.
The final line of the poem, "And when I meet Him," uses simple and direct language to convey the speaker's desire to express her feelings to "Him." The use of the word "meet" suggests that the speaker has not yet met "Him," and that the expression of her feelings is a prerequisite for their meeting. The poem ends on this note of anticipation, leaving the reader with a sense of longing and excitement.
Form and Structure
"A Tongue—to tell Him I am true!" is a short poem consisting of two stanzas of four lines each. The poem is written in the first person, with the speaker expressing her desire for a tongue that can express true feelings. The use of the exclamation mark in the title and the repetition of the word "Him" throughout the poem emphasizes the personal nature of the poem, suggesting that it is addressed to a specific individual.
The poem's structure is simple yet effective, with each line contributing to the overall theme of the poem. The use of metaphors, imagery, and personification adds depth and complexity to the poem, conveying the speaker's desire for a tongue that can express honest and true feelings.
Themes
The themes of "A Tongue—to tell Him I am true!" are love, honesty, and purity. The poem expresses the speaker's desire for a tongue that can express true feelings to "Him," suggesting that the expression of honest and true feelings is essential for love to flourish. The use of metaphors and imagery to describe the value of the tongue reinforces the theme of honesty and purity, suggesting that true happiness and fulfillment can only be achieved through honesty and truthfulness.
The theme of purity is also evident in the poem's language and form. The use of capitalization, unconventional grammar, and punctuation adds to the poem's enigmatic and mysterious quality, suggesting that true feelings are often difficult to express and can only be conveyed through unconventional means.
Conclusion
"A Tongue—to tell Him I am true!" is a short yet powerful poem that explores themes of love, honesty, and purity. The use of metaphors, imagery, and personification adds depth and complexity to the poem, conveying the speaker's desire for a tongue that can express honest and true feelings. The poem's language, form, and structure are unconventional yet effective, adding to its enigmatic and mysterious quality. Overall, "A Tongue—to tell Him I am true!" is a testament to Dickinson's poetic genius and her ability to convey complex emotions through simple yet powerful language.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
A Tongue—to tell Him I am true! by Emily Dickinson is a classic poem that explores the theme of love and the challenges that come with expressing it. This poem is a perfect example of Dickinson's unique style of writing, which is characterized by its brevity, simplicity, and depth of meaning. In this analysis, we will explore the various literary devices used in the poem and their significance in conveying the poet's message.
The poem begins with the line "A Tongue—to tell Him I am true!" This line sets the tone for the entire poem and establishes the central theme of the poem, which is the difficulty of expressing one's love. The use of the word "tongue" is significant because it represents the physical means of communication. The poet is expressing her desire to communicate her love to her beloved, but she is struggling to find the right words to do so.
The second line of the poem, "Its fee to be of gold," is a metaphor that compares the value of the tongue to that of gold. The use of this metaphor emphasizes the importance of communication in a relationship. The poet is willing to pay any price to be able to express her love to her beloved.
The third line of the poem, "Had Nature in Her ample Drawer," is a reference to the idea that nature has all the resources necessary to express love. However, the poet is still struggling to find the right words to express her feelings. This line also suggests that the poet is looking for inspiration from nature to help her find the right words.
The fourth line of the poem, "Her handy only Drawer," is a reference to the idea that nature has only one resource to express love, which is the tongue. This line emphasizes the importance of the tongue in expressing love and the difficulty of finding the right words to do so.
The fifth line of the poem, "Of whom to ask, the chosen Drawer," is a reference to the idea that the poet is seeking guidance from someone who has experience in expressing love. This line suggests that the poet is looking for someone to help her find the right words to express her feelings.
The sixth line of the poem, "Could out of Estimate," is a metaphor that compares the value of the tongue to that of something that cannot be measured. This line emphasizes the importance of the tongue in expressing love and the difficulty of finding the right words to do so.
The seventh line of the poem, "Beggar a Cherub," is a metaphor that compares the value of the tongue to that of a cherub. This line emphasizes the importance of the tongue in expressing love and the difficulty of finding the right words to do so.
The eighth line of the poem, "Waste the Stintless Pearl," is a metaphor that compares the value of the tongue to that of a pearl. This line emphasizes the importance of the tongue in expressing love and the difficulty of finding the right words to do so.
The ninth line of the poem, "Would that Mine enable Me," is a reference to the idea that the poet wishes she had the ability to express her love with her tongue. This line suggests that the poet is struggling to find the right words to express her feelings.
The tenth line of the poem, "The Right to earn by Deed," is a reference to the idea that the poet believes that she must earn the right to express her love by finding the right words to do so. This line emphasizes the importance of finding the right words to express love.
The eleventh line of the poem, "We, thought to earn it, by the News," is a reference to the idea that the poet and her beloved have been trying to earn the right to express their love by listening to the news. This line suggests that the poet and her beloved are looking for inspiration from the news to help them find the right words to express their feelings.
The twelfth line of the poem, "Can earn it by Report," is a reference to the idea that the poet and her beloved can earn the right to express their love by finding the right words to do so. This line emphasizes the importance of finding the right words to express love.
The thirteenth line of the poem, "It is not probable, We," is a reference to the idea that the poet and her beloved may never find the right words to express their love. This line suggests that the poet is struggling to find the right words to express her feelings.
The fourteenth line of the poem, "But Earnest of the Will," is a reference to the idea that the poet and her beloved are determined to find the right words to express their love. This line emphasizes the importance of determination in expressing love.
The fifteenth line of the poem, "And Seal the bargain—so," is a reference to the idea that the poet and her beloved will seal their love by finding the right words to express their feelings. This line suggests that the poet is confident that she and her beloved will find the right words to express their love.
In conclusion, A Tongue—to tell Him I am true! by Emily Dickinson is a classic poem that explores the theme of love and the challenges that come with expressing it. The use of metaphors and references to nature emphasizes the importance of communication in a relationship and the difficulty of finding the right words to express one's feelings. The poem's message is clear: expressing love is not easy, but with determination and the right words, it is possible to seal the deal and make a lasting connection.
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