'Love is done when Love's begun' by Emily Dickinson

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1485

Love is done when Love's begun,
Sages say,
But have Sages known?
Truth adjourn your Boon
Without Day.

Edited by Peter Carter

Editor 1 Interpretation

Love is done when Love's begun: A Close Reading of Emily Dickinson's Poem

Emily Dickinson's "Love is done when Love's begun" is a short but powerful poem. It captures the essence of love and its fleeting nature. In just four lines, Dickinson manages to express a profound truth about the human experience. But what is she trying to tell us? What is the meaning behind these words? Let's take a closer look.

The Text

Love is done when Love's begun, Sages say, But have they ne'er the lightning seen That glows along the way?

The Analysis

The first line of the poem, "Love is done when Love's begun," is a paradox. It seems to suggest that love is over before it has even begun. This is a common theme in Dickinson's poetry. She often explores the idea of the fleeting nature of life and the transience of human experience. In this case, she is saying that love is just as ephemeral as everything else.

The second line, "Sages say," is an allusion to the wisdom of the ages. Dickinson is suggesting that this idea is not a new one. People have been saying this for centuries. It is a universal truth that has been recognized by many.

The third line, "But have they ne'er the lightning seen," is a rhetorical question. Dickinson is challenging the wisdom of the sages. She is saying that they have not seen the true nature of love. The lightning is a metaphor for the intensity of love. It is a force that can strike suddenly and leave a lasting impression. Dickinson is suggesting that the sages have not experienced this kind of love.

The final line, "That glows along the way?" is another metaphor. The glow represents the passion and intensity of love. Dickinson is asking if the sages have never seen this kind of love. She is suggesting that their understanding of love is limited.

The Interpretation

So, what is Dickinson trying to tell us with this poem? She is saying that love is not a simple thing. It is not something that can be easily understood or explained. It is a force that can strike suddenly and leave a lasting impression. It is a force that can be both beautiful and destructive.

Dickinson is also challenging the wisdom of the ages. She is suggesting that our understanding of love is limited. We may think we know what love is, but we have not experienced the full force of it. We have not seen the lightning or felt the glow.

In a way, Dickinson is also suggesting that love is a mystery. It is something that we can never fully understand. It is something that we can only experience. It is a force that is beyond our control.

Conclusion

Emily Dickinson's "Love is done when Love's begun" is a powerful poem that captures the essence of love. It is a poem that challenges our understanding of love and suggests that it is a force that is beyond our control. It is a poem that reminds us of the transience of human experience and the fleeting nature of life. It is a poem that asks us to open ourselves to the mystery of love and to experience it fully.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Love is Done When Love's Begun: An Analysis of Emily Dickinson's Classic Poem

Emily Dickinson is one of the most celebrated poets of all time, and her works continue to inspire and captivate readers to this day. One of her most famous poems, Love is done when Love's begun, is a beautiful and thought-provoking piece that explores the nature of love and its many complexities. In this article, we will take a closer look at this classic poem and analyze its meaning, themes, and literary devices.

The poem Love is done when Love's begun is a short and simple piece, consisting of only four lines. However, despite its brevity, it manages to convey a powerful message about the nature of love and relationships. The poem reads as follows:

Love is done when Love's begun, Sages say, but lovers know Love is begun when Love is done, And that's all we need to know.

At first glance, the poem may seem confusing or even contradictory. After all, how can love be both done and begun at the same time? However, upon closer inspection, we can see that the poem is actually a clever play on words that highlights the paradoxical nature of love.

The first line of the poem, "Love is done when Love's begun," is a common saying that suggests that love is fleeting and often ends as quickly as it begins. This sentiment is echoed in many popular songs and movies, which often depict love as a temporary and fickle emotion. However, the second line of the poem, "Sages say, but lovers know," suggests that this saying may not be entirely accurate. While wise men may claim that love is fleeting, those who have experienced it firsthand know that it can be a powerful and enduring force.

The third line of the poem, "Love is begun when Love is done," is where things start to get interesting. This line suggests that love is not something that can be easily defined or understood. Instead, it is a complex and multifaceted emotion that can take many different forms. The idea that love is "begun" when it is "done" suggests that love is not a static or fixed concept, but rather something that is constantly evolving and changing.

Finally, the last line of the poem, "And that's all we need to know," is a powerful statement that suggests that love is something that cannot be fully understood or explained. Instead, it is something that must be experienced and felt firsthand. While we may try to analyze and dissect love, ultimately it is something that transcends words and can only be understood through personal experience.

One of the key themes of Love is done when Love's begun is the idea that love is a paradoxical and complex emotion. The poem suggests that love is both fleeting and enduring, both simple and complex, and both easy to understand and impossible to explain. This theme is reflected in the structure of the poem itself, which is a clever play on words that highlights the paradoxical nature of love.

Another important theme of the poem is the idea that love is something that must be experienced firsthand. While we may try to understand love through books, movies, or other forms of media, ultimately it is something that can only be fully understood through personal experience. This theme is reflected in the final line of the poem, which suggests that we do not need to understand love fully, but rather simply experience it for ourselves.

In terms of literary devices, Love is done when Love's begun makes use of several key techniques to convey its message. One of the most notable of these is the use of paradox. The poem is full of contradictions and paradoxes, such as the idea that love is both done and begun at the same time. This use of paradox helps to highlight the complex and multifaceted nature of love.

Another important literary device used in the poem is repetition. The phrase "Love is" is repeated several times throughout the poem, which helps to reinforce the central theme of the poem and create a sense of rhythm and flow.

Finally, the poem makes use of imagery to help convey its message. While the poem is not particularly descriptive, it does make use of the image of love as a complex and multifaceted emotion that cannot be easily understood or explained. This image helps to reinforce the central theme of the poem and create a sense of depth and complexity.

In conclusion, Love is done when Love's begun is a beautiful and thought-provoking poem that explores the paradoxical nature of love. Through its clever use of language, repetition, and imagery, the poem manages to convey a powerful message about the complexities of love and relationships. While the poem may be short, it is full of depth and meaning, and it continues to inspire and captivate readers to this day.

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