Nobody knows this little Rose -- It might a pilgrim be Did I not take it from the ways And lift it up to thee. Only a Bee will miss it -- Only a Butterfly, Hastening from far journey -- On its breast to lie -- Only a Bird will wonder -- Only a Breeze will sigh -- Ah Little Rose -- how easy For such as thee to die!
Poem 35: The tone of this poem is kind sad. And it’s ironic that Rose is very beautiful but doesn’t get any great attention except some bees, butterflies… But after the Rose was lifted by people and get admired from people, it would usually die soon. The Rose is symbolized many people, the whole life of the Rose is just like most of our life. Dickinson feels that the life of people is very short. One man fights for his success during most of his life, but he can just enjoy his success for very short time.
Poem 39
It did not surprise me—
So I said—or thought—
She will stir her pinions
And the nest forgot,
Traverse broader forests—
Build in gayer boughs,
Breathe in Ear more modern
God's old fashioned vows—
This was but a Birdling—
What and if it be
One within my bosom
Had departed me?
This was but a story—
What and if indeed
There were just such coffin
In the heart instead?
So I said—or thought—
She will stir her pinions
And the nest forgot,
Traverse broader forests—
Build in gayer boughs,
Breathe in Ear more modern
God's old fashioned vows—
This was but a Birdling—
What and if it be
One within my bosom
Had departed me?
This was but a story—
What and if indeed
There were just such coffin
In the heart instead?
Poem 39: The tone of this poem is sad neither. I think the bird in this poem is stand for a spouse or friend of someone. It describes that the spouse (friend) betrays this man, and looks for new spouse (friend). As she said” This was but a story”, it means the same thing happened before. The rebel left his previous spouse (friend) to the man. So the man doesn’t feel surprise when the “Bird” left him for a new “Host”. Although it didn’t surprise the man, the man still feels sad and can’t forget what happened to him. So he said” There were just such coffin in the heart instead”.
