PoemoftheWeek

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Soul hasn't grasped", you make me confused with 'Their graspless manners'

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Your right, I shouldn't have said it that way. Grasping is what she is trying to do throughout the poem to understand the meaning of the Tint. 'For fear the Squirrels -- know./Their Graspless manners -- mock us'-This states the Squirrels 'know.' Not that they don't understand. And it seems to me, 'Their Graspless manners-' gets at the degree(graspless) of the Squirrels knowing of the Tint. And the narrator senses the degree of the Squirrels knowing as well, even though 'she' cannot.

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Their graspless manners" indicates the Squirrels that do not understand, cannot grasp (it), cannot 'see' (it). And, manners = their habits.

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But you are leaving out this part: 'Their Graspless manners -- mock us' .

They mock in ignorance, and as per their manners/habit. They are graspless of those feelings she has, and cannot see what she can. I am trying to ascertain this word 'graspless' which was ambiguous to me before.. I saw Squirrels with little arms as opposed to Squirrels with little ability to grasp a notion.

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I am trying to ascertain this word 'graspless' which was ambiguous to me before.. I saw Squirrels with little arms as opposed to Squirrels with little ability to grasp a notion.

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Its not a grasping at all.

The Moments of Dominion
That happen on the Soul

To be, as you say, 'in ignorance' is the only way to experience the Tint.

Thats why I felt the piece is reflecting her style, somehow. The Winter arrives, hides it all from the Squirrels. Since Summer/Winter is perpetual, its only in the grave (she mutters to herself), will she be able to understand what she feels. (thats where I am at now, tomorrow it could change).

Understanding of Dickinson's poetry just requires attention to every single word.

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The Winter arrives, hides it all from the Squirrels. Since Summer/Winter is perpetual

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The Pleading of the Summer --
That other Prank -- of Snow --
That Cushions Mystery with Tulle,
For fear the Squirrels -- know.

Theres more here before you even get to the Squirrels. Who's 'Pleading'? Why is the Snow referred to as 'That other Prank'-which means the Summer was the first Prank? The Prank is being played on Who? The Landscape seems like an Entity here.

The Summer is pleading (to stay).
The 'first ' prank be Mystery.
The prank is being played on her.

About time someone provided another copy of this poem. I shall oblige.:D

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The Tint I cannot take -- is best --
The Color too remote
That I could show it in Bazaar --
A Guinea at a sight --

The fine -- impalpable Array --
That swaggers on the eye
Like Cleopatra's Company --
Repeated -- in the sky --

The Moments of Dominion
That happen on the Soul
And leave it with a Discontent
Too exquisite -- to tell --

The eager look -- on Landscapes --
As if they just repressed
Some Secret -- that was pushing
Like Chariots -- in the Vest --

The Pleading of the Summer --
That other Prank -- of Snow --
That Cushions Mystery with Tulle,
For fear the Squirrels -- know.

Their Graspless manners -- mock us --
Until the Cheated Eye
Shuts arrogantly -- in the Grave --
Another way -- to see --

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The Summer is pleading (to stay).
The 'first ' prank be Mystery.
The prank is being played on her.

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I would have to disagree; but I do not have time to go over it, right now.

There is no words in the poem denoting staying.

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Originally Posted by ktd222

Its not a grasping at all.

The Moments of Dominion
That happen on the Soul

To be, as you say, 'in ignorance' is the only way to experience the Tint.

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So, ktd, are you saying that the narrator is not seeing the trascendental power of nature in the first three stanzas? What then is she referring to with "The Moments of Dominion / That happen on the soul"

Also I don't know if someone mentioned this before, but when she says "Their Graspless manners," their is refering to the multiple natural elements she's brought up. So perhaps you're right, ktd, the narrator can't experience the transcendental power. But then what is "Dominion" referring to?

I agree with most of that last post Virgil.

Especially the meaning of 'their'. I think if it was the squirrels, the full stop wouldn't be there. I think by Dominion, she is referring to the overwhelming power of nature dominating all that gaze upon it, particularly her soul, which it 'happens on' (ie. accidentally finds - as in 'I happened on a young girl as she was bathing in the stream - but enough of my fantasies!)

I have a handle (rightly or wrongly) on most of this poem now. The only two phrases that still won't sit still are The Pleading of the Summer and the last line. The last line is OK though because it's nicely ambiguous and leads me off in all sorts of directions at once.

But the pleading of summer is niggling at me; telling me that it has an obvious meaning which I'm just not quite getting (and I'm not happy with jackyyyy's pleading to stay theory - sorry jack). Any other ideas out there?

I posted my squirrel theory.

The eager look -- on Landscapes --
As if they just repressed

What does this mean, "repressed" ?

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Originally Posted by Xamonas Chegwe

I agree with most of that last post Virgil.

Especially the meaning of 'their'. I think if it was the squirrels, the full stop wouldn't be there. I think by Dominion, she is referring to the overwhelming power of nature dominating all that gaze upon it, particularly her soul, which it 'happens on' (ie. accidentally finds - as in 'I happened on a young girl as she was bathing in the stream - but enough of my fantasies!)

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Yes, I think we agree, but it seems to me that ktd is disagreeing with what you state above, and if so then I'm curious as to how she's reading it.

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Originally Posted by jackyyyy

The eager look -- on Landscapes --
As if they just repressed

What does this mean, "repressed" ?

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Read the whole stanza as a sentence.

The eager look on lanscapes as if they just repressed some secret that was pushing, like chariots, in the vest.

I am assuming that vest refers to the chest region and therefore the heart.

Would that be repressed in the observer or the landscapes themselves? She seems to do a lot of personifying nature.