The WInd begun to rock the grass
Emily Dickinson
By Adrian MacKenzie
Summary = Christian upbringing, the poet sees God reflected in nature and its power
The Wind begun to rock the Grass → Wrong verb is disconcerting – suggestion of storm becoming menacing
With threatening tunes and low - → Alliteration = noise of wind ominous + threatening. Foregrounds lightning
He threw a menace at the Earth - → Lightning strike is jarring + discordant (enhanced through use of dashes)
A menace at the Sky. → Repetition = foreboding – God's omnipotence is responsible for nature's forcefulness
The Leaves unhooked themselves from Trees - → Personification = gives leaves agency
And started all abroad (started all over) → Dash creates pause as leaves unhook
The Dust did scoop itself like Hands → Personification = gives dust agency, cannot see the road
And threw away the Road.
The Wagons quickened on the Streets → Personification + synecdoche = movement of wagons rushing to safety
The Thunder (hurried slow) - → Oxymoron = immenency of storm – slowness of thunder enhanced by dash
The Lightning showed a Yellow Beak → Comparing the shape of lightning to a bird of prey
And then a livid claw. → extreme fury of storm (bird of prey similar to lightning wreaking havoc + destruction)
The Birds put up the Bars to Nests - → birds are hunkering down to find safety
The Cattle fled to Barns - → suggests that animals are fearful of the storm too
There came one drop of Giant Rain → beginning of the deluge
And then as if the Hands → Enjambement + simile = continuation of storm as “hands part” (opening the skies)
That held the dams had parted hold → torrents of rain begin to fall
The Waters Wrecked the Sky, → Alliteration + strong diction = destructive force of nature (storm’s momentum)
But overlooked my Father's House - → 1) house left untouched yet tree was struck
Just quartering a Tree - → 2) ‘overlook’ - sees the church amidst the destruction
→ 3) dash emphasises poet’s amazement
In the midst of all the power of nature, ‘the home of God’ remains untouched.
This demonstrates the poet’s reverence.
Stanza 1 = slow rhythm (storm is threatening, it is building up)
Stanza 2 = rhythm picks up – urgency to escape
Rhythm starts slowly and gains amazement
Fixed 4-line stanzas despite unpredictability and chaos of the storm
Mood = awe
Emily Dickinson
By Adrian MacKenzie
Summary = Christian upbringing, the poet sees God reflected in nature and its power
The Wind begun to rock the Grass → Wrong verb is disconcerting – suggestion of storm becoming menacing
With threatening tunes and low - → Alliteration = noise of wind ominous + threatening. Foregrounds lightning
He threw a menace at the Earth - → Lightning strike is jarring + discordant (enhanced through use of dashes)
A menace at the Sky. → Repetition = foreboding – God's omnipotence is responsible for nature's forcefulness
The Leaves unhooked themselves from Trees - → Personification = gives leaves agency
And started all abroad (started all over) → Dash creates pause as leaves unhook
The Dust did scoop itself like Hands → Personification = gives dust agency, cannot see the road
And threw away the Road.
The Wagons quickened on the Streets → Personification + synecdoche = movement of wagons rushing to safety
The Thunder (hurried slow) - → Oxymoron = immenency of storm – slowness of thunder enhanced by dash
The Lightning showed a Yellow Beak → Comparing the shape of lightning to a bird of prey
And then a livid claw. → extreme fury of storm (bird of prey similar to lightning wreaking havoc + destruction)
The Birds put up the Bars to Nests - → birds are hunkering down to find safety
The Cattle fled to Barns - → suggests that animals are fearful of the storm too
There came one drop of Giant Rain → beginning of the deluge
And then as if the Hands → Enjambement + simile = continuation of storm as “hands part” (opening the skies)
That held the dams had parted hold → torrents of rain begin to fall
The Waters Wrecked the Sky, → Alliteration + strong diction = destructive force of nature (storm’s momentum)
But overlooked my Father's House - → 1) house left untouched yet tree was struck
Just quartering a Tree - → 2) ‘overlook’ - sees the church amidst the destruction
→ 3) dash emphasises poet’s amazement
In the midst of all the power of nature, ‘the home of God’ remains untouched.
This demonstrates the poet’s reverence.
Stanza 1 = slow rhythm (storm is threatening, it is building up)
Stanza 2 = rhythm picks up – urgency to escape
Rhythm starts slowly and gains amazement
Fixed 4-line stanzas despite unpredictability and chaos of the storm
Mood = awe
