Poem+Number+754

My Life had stood — a Loaded Gun — In Corners — till a Day The Owner passed — identified — And carried Me away —

And now We roam in Sovereign Woods — And now We hunt the Doe — And every time I speak for Him — The Mountains straight reply —

And do I smile, such cordial light Upon the Valley glow — It is as a Vesuvian face Had let its pleasure through —

And when at Night — Our good Day done — I guard My Master's Head — 'Tis better than the Eider-Duck's Deep Pillow — to have shared —

To foe of His — I'm deadly foe — None stir the second time — On whom I lay a Yellow Eye — Or an emphatic Thumb —

Though I than He — may longer live He longer must — than I — For I have but the power to kill, Without — the power to die —

Well, this is probably the longest poem we've read by Dickinson so far. I'd actually have to say, its in my top 3 favorites on the handout sheet. The poem is about a man(im guessing, possibly a woman), whose life was sort of on hold, not exciting(if that makes sense). We know that by the first two lines "My Life had stood--a Loaded Gun-- In Corners till a day." Then another person takes he/she away, and in the second stanza they are roaming and hunting doe in the woods together. The one part in the second stanza I definitley didnt understand was "And everytime I speak for Him-- The Mountains straight reply." What does Dickinson mean "Everytime i speak for him" is that more a figure of speech or literally the other man could not speak? I absoultely loved the last stanza. Dickinson is saying that even though he/she may live longer than the other person, they must live longer. "For I have but the power to kill, Without--the power to die--." I think this can be interpreted in different ways i struggled to really understand but it seems as if its simple and I can't just get ahold of what it truly means (if anyone knows please tell me?) Overall, I interpreted this poem the best I could, and I think its a win lose situation where I could have done it completely wrong, or gotten it right, after explaining what I thought i re-read it and thought that maybe this poem has a completely different meaning, but im not sure. 1204255229

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