Please Help!!

[buffygene]

I am currently in a lit class in college and I have the hardest tiem with Emily Dickinson. I have an assignment to paraphrase "I reckon-when I count at all" and am drawing a blank. Is there anyone who has any ideas for me?

I reckon -when I count at at all-
First-Poets-Then the Sun-
Then Summer-Then the Heaven of God-
And then-the List is done-

But, looking back-the First so seems
To Comprhend the Whole-
The Others look a needless Show-
So I write-Poets-All-

Their Summer-lasts a Solid Year-
They can afford a Sun
The East-would deem extravagant-
And if the Furthur Heaven-

Be Beautiful as they prepare
For Those who worship Them-
It is too difficult a Grace-
To justify the Dream-

[ktd222]

What exactly are you looking for in this poem?

At first reading the poem seems to be about true understanding of the nature of Heaven. ‘Looking back,’ she realizes that ‘the Sun, the Summer,’ showing themselves to us, do not have a clearer hint of Heaven than Poets, because Poets can already feel and conceptualize the purpose for Sun and Summer. So the picture of Heaven that Poets paint, though is just as(if not more) truthful an image of Heaven than the Sun and Summer shows, is as if a dream, because it’s ‘too difficult’ for her to believe in divine assists just for the sake of realizing a poets dream of how heaven looks.

I hope this helps you discern the meaning at least.

[buffygene]

Thank you, It does help me to get a clearer meaning.

[Zong-in Kim]

Thank you ktd222 for your comment that I quoted today in my "Poetry Translation Blog" as follows:


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At first reading the poem seems to be about true understanding of the nature of Heaven. ‘Looking back,’ she realizes that ‘the Sun, the Summer,’ showing themselves to us, do not have a clearer hint of Heaven than Poets, because Poets can already feel and conceptualize the purpose for Sun and Summer. So the picture of Heaven that Poets paint, though is just as(if not more) truthful an image of Heaven than the Sun and Summer shows, is as if a dream, because it’s ‘too difficult’ for her to believe in divine assists just for the sake of realizing a poets dream of how heaven looks. ...
-ktd222

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-Kim