'She sweeps with many-colored brooms,' by Emily Dickinson
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She sweeps with many-colored brooms,
And leaves the shreds behind;
Oh, housewife in the evening west,
Come back, and dust the pond!
You dropped a purple ravelling in,
You dropped an amber thread;
And now you've littered all the East
With duds of emerald!
And still she plies her spotted brooms,
And still the aprons fly,
Till brooms fade softly into stars --
And then I come away.
Editor 1 Interpretation
She sweeps with many-colored brooms: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Emily Dickinson is one of the most celebrated American poets of all time. She was known for her unique style characterized by her use of slant rhyme, unconventional punctuation, and short lines. In this essay, we will take a closer look at one of her most famous poems, "She sweeps with many-colored brooms," and explore its literary devices and themes.
Poem Summary
"She sweeps with many-colored brooms" is a short poem composed of three stanzas with four lines each. The poem describes a woman sweeping the floor with various brooms of different colors. The first stanza describes the woman as "Nature" sweeping "the dust" of life away. The second stanza describes the woman using "a crimson brush" to sweep away the "last year's leaves." The final stanza describes the woman sweeping with a broom of "ocean blue" to "cleanse the floor." The poem concludes with the line "And life is gone away."
Literary Devices
Emily Dickinson was known for her use of literary devices to convey her messages. In "She sweeps with many-colored brooms," she uses several literary devices to create a vivid image of the woman sweeping the floor.
Personification
One of the most notable literary devices in the poem is personification. Dickinson personifies "Nature" as a woman sweeping the floor. This personification creates an image of an all-powerful force working to keep the world clean and tidy. By using personification, Dickinson is able to convey the idea that the natural world is in control and has the power to cleanse and renew.
Metaphor
Another literary device used in the poem is metaphor. The brooms used by the woman are metaphorical representations of the different seasons of life. The "many-colored brooms" represent the different stages of life and the different emotions that come with them. The "crimson brush" represents the fall season when the leaves change color and fall to the ground. The "ocean blue" broom represents the cleansing power of water and the renewal that comes with it.
Imagery
Dickinson is known for her use of vivid imagery, and "She sweeps with many-colored brooms" is no exception. The poem creates a vivid image of a woman sweeping the floor with brooms of different colors. The descriptions of the brooms, such as "crimson brush" and "ocean blue," create a visual image in the reader's mind. The use of imagery helps to convey the message of the poem by creating a picture of a woman cleansing and renewing the world.
Slant Rhyme
The poem also uses slant rhyme, which is a type of rhyme in which the final consonant sounds of two words are similar, but not identical. For example, "brooms" and "rooms" in the first stanza. Dickinson's use of slant rhyme adds to the musicality of the poem and creates a sense of unity and harmony.
Themes
The poem "She sweeps with many-colored brooms" explores several themes, including the power of nature, the cycle of life, and the idea of renewal.
The Power of Nature
The poem personifies "Nature" as a woman sweeping the floor, which creates a sense of power and authority. The woman is in control of the world, and her brooms represent the different stages and emotions of life. The idea of Nature as a powerful force is a common theme in Dickinson's poetry, and it suggests that the natural world is in control and has the power to cleanse and renew.
The Cycle of Life
The brooms used by the woman in the poem represent the different stages of life, from the colorful and vibrant "many-colored brooms" of youth to the cleansing power of the "ocean blue" broom of old age. The poem suggests that life is cyclical and that each stage is necessary for the next. The poem also implies that the end of life is not the end of the cycle, but rather a new beginning.
The Idea of Renewal
The final stanza of the poem describes the woman sweeping with an "ocean blue" broom to "cleanse the floor." The use of the color blue and the imagery of water suggests the idea of renewal and cleansing. The poem suggests that just as the woman sweeps the floor clean, so too can the natural world cleanse and renew itself.
Interpretation
"She sweeps with many-colored brooms" is a poem that explores the power of nature and the cycle of life. The poem suggests that the natural world is in control and has the power to cleanse and renew. The brooms used by the woman represent the different stages of life, and the poem suggests that each stage is necessary for the next.
The idea of renewal is a central theme in the poem. The woman sweeping with the "ocean blue" broom represents the cleansing power of water and the renewal that comes with it. This suggests that even in old age, there is still the potential for growth and renewal.
The use of personification, metaphor, and imagery helps to create a vivid image of a woman sweeping the floor with brooms of different colors. The poem's musicality and use of slant rhyme add to its beauty and create a sense of unity and harmony.
In conclusion, "She sweeps with many-colored brooms" is a beautiful and thought-provoking poem that explores the power of nature and the cycle of life. Dickinson's use of literary devices and imagery creates a vivid image of a woman cleansing and renewing the world. The poem's central message of renewal suggests that even in old age, there is still the potential for growth and change.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry is a powerful medium that can evoke emotions, paint vivid pictures, and transport us to different worlds. Emily Dickinson's poem "She sweeps with many-colored brooms" is a perfect example of how poetry can capture the beauty and power of nature.
The poem begins with the line "She sweeps with many-colored brooms," which immediately sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The use of the word "she" suggests that the poem is about a woman, but as we read on, it becomes clear that the woman is actually a personification of nature.
The use of personification is a common literary device used in poetry to give human qualities to non-human things. In this case, Dickinson is using personification to describe the way nature changes and transforms the world around us.
The next line of the poem reads, "And leaves the shreds behind." This line is a metaphor for the way nature sheds its old skin and creates something new. The "shreds" represent the old, worn-out parts of nature that are discarded to make way for the new.
The use of metaphor is another common literary device used in poetry to create a comparison between two things. In this case, the metaphor is used to describe the way nature constantly renews itself, shedding its old skin to create something new and beautiful.
The poem goes on to describe the different colors of the brooms that nature uses to sweep the world. The use of color is a powerful tool in poetry, as it can evoke emotions and create vivid images in the reader's mind.
The line "She sweeps with many-colored brooms" is followed by the lines "And leaves the shreds behind, Oh, housewife in the evening west, Come back, and dust the pond!" These lines suggest that nature is like a housewife, constantly cleaning and tidying up the world around us.
The use of the phrase "evening west" is interesting, as it suggests that the poem is set in the evening, when the sun is setting in the west. This creates a sense of calm and tranquility, as the day comes to a close and nature prepares for the night.
The line "Come back, and dust the pond!" is a call to action, urging the housewife to come back and finish the job of cleaning the world. This line is also a metaphor for the way nature cleanses and purifies the world, making it new again.
The poem ends with the lines "You dropped a purple ravelling in, You dropped an amber thread; And now you've littered all the East With duds of emerald!" These lines suggest that nature has left behind a trail of beautiful colors and textures, creating a world that is vibrant and alive.
The use of color in this poem is particularly powerful, as it creates a sense of beauty and wonder in the reader's mind. The use of the colors purple, amber, and emerald suggests that nature is full of life and energy, constantly changing and transforming the world around us.
In conclusion, Emily Dickinson's poem "She sweeps with many-colored brooms" is a beautiful and powerful tribute to the beauty and power of nature. Through the use of personification, metaphor, and color, Dickinson creates a vivid and evocative image of a world that is constantly changing and renewing itself. This poem is a reminder of the beauty and wonder that surrounds us every day, and a call to appreciate and cherish the natural world that we live in.
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