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This World is not Conclusion.
A Species stands beyond -
Invisible, as Music -
But positive, as Sound -
It beckons, and it baffles -
Philosophy, dont know -
And through a Riddle, at the last -
Sagacity, must go -
To guess it, puzzles scholars -
To gain it, Men have borne
Contempt of Generations
And Crucifixion, shown -
Faith slips - and laughs, and rallies -
Blushes, if any see -
Plucks at a twig of Evidence -
And asks a Vane, the way -
Much Gesture, from the Pulpit -
Strong Hallelujahs roll -
Narcotics cannot still the Tooth
That nibbles at the soul -
Commented [J1]: Existence does not offer any answers, only
questions. A broad topic to cover, but totally one
Dickinson would write a poem about.
Commented [J2]: The human species stand beyond
Conclusion. I’m not quite sure why she considers sound
positive (and not music?), but I interpret this as meaning
that the answer to the meaning of life is ungraspable, but
still something pleasant.
Commented [J3]: Dickinson doesn’t put an apostrophe here.
Perhaps this is just a symptom of her handwriting? I dont
know!
Commented [J4]: Trying to figure out life will make even the
smartest person look stupid.
Commented [J5]: She seems to indicate that Jesus had the
answers, and maybe his followers do to (given that “Men”
is plural).
Commented [J6]: Is this a weathervane? Perhaps the
speaker sees Faith as following the wind. Like Freddie
Mercury said, “any way the wind blows…”
Commented [J7]: As Dickinson didn’t like going to church,
this strikes me as a negative image of a church service.
Exaggerated hand-waving, communal singing and
chanting, etc., can feel like a powerful experience – but,
for the speaker, it doesn’t seem to advance the quest for
purpose at all.
Commented [J8]: Most major religions forbid intoxicants to
some degree. The speaker seems to concur; answers will
not be found through drugs.