I envy Seas, whereon He rides -- by Emily Dickinson
Analysis
In this poem, Dickinson discusses her love for a man. She is jealous of everything around him, the water "He rides", the Chariots, the hills that watch him going by, the sparrows, the fly, even the leaves.
"I envy Seas, whereon He rides --" can be seen as a love poem for a man, but it can also be seen as a religious poem. The mention of Heaven and Gabriel can easily make this connection. The love of God and the love of everything he created.
This poem is made up of six stanzas with four lines in each. The first and third lines are written in iambic-quadrameter while the second and fourth are written in iambic-triameter. Dickinson changes her rhyme scheme throughout the poem. She utilizes both imperfect rhymes and perfect rhymes.
Johnson number: 498
Poem
I envy Seas, whereon He rides -- I envy Seas, whereon He rides -- I envy Spokes of Wheels Of Chariots, that Him convey -- I envy Crooked Hills That gaze upon His journey -- How easy All can see What is forbidden utterly As Heaven -- unto me! I envy Nests of Sparrows -- That dot His distant Eaves -- The wealthy Fly, upon His Pane -- The happy -- happy Leaves -- That just abroad His Window Have Summer's leave to play -- The Ear Rings of Pizarro Could not obtain for me -- I envy Light -- that wakes Him -- And Bells -- that boldly ring To tell Him it is Noon, abroad -- Myself -- be Noon to Him -- Yet interdict -- my Blossom -- And abrogate -- my Bee -- Lest Noon in Everlasting Night -- Drop Gabriel -- and Me --
Next: I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,
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Nationality
American
Literary Movement
19th Century
Subjects
Love, Animal, Nature, Sea