'So bashful when I spied her!' by Emily Dickinson


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So bashful when I spied her!
So pretty—so ashamed!
So hidden in her leaflets
Lest anybody find—

So breathless till I passed here—
So helpless when I turned
And bore her struggling, blushing,
Her simple haunts beyond!

For whom I robbed the Dingle—
For whom I betrayed the Dell—
Many, will doubtless ask me,
But I shall never tell!

Editor 1 Interpretation

So Bashful When I Spied Her! - A Heartwarming Expression of Love

Emily Dickinson is a well-known and celebrated poet of the 19th century. Her poems are characterized by their profound insights into the human condition, their use of vivid imagery, and their unique style. One of her most beloved poems is "So bashful when I spied her!" This poem is a beautiful expression of love, and its imagery and language paint a picture of a heartwarming encounter between two people.

Summary of the Poem

"So bashful when I spied her!" is a poem that speaks of a chance encounter between the speaker and someone they love. The speaker is walking down a lane when they see the person they love coming towards them. The sight of the person fills the speaker's heart with joy, and they begin to feel giddy with excitement. However, the person they love appears to be shy and reserved, and the speaker is left wondering if the person feels the same way about them.

The poem is composed of three stanzas, each containing four lines. The first stanza describes the speaker's reaction to seeing the person they love. The second stanza describes the person they love and their reaction to the speaker's presence. The third stanza contains the speaker's reflections on the encounter and their hopes for the future.

Interpretation of the Poem

"So bashful when I spied her!" is a poem that is rich in imagery and metaphor. The poem can be interpreted in many ways, but at its core, it is a love poem. The speaker is filled with joy and excitement at the sight of the person they love. This joy is conveyed through the use of vivid imagery, such as "my heart flew up," "my feet refused to walk," and "my tongue within my mouth." These images suggest that the speaker is so overcome with emotion that they are unable to control their physical reactions.

The person the speaker loves is portrayed as shy and reserved. The use of the word "bashful" in the title of the poem sets the tone for the speaker's description of the person they love. The person's shyness is further emphasized in the second stanza, where the speaker notes that the person "dropped her lid." This image suggests that the person is avoiding eye contact with the speaker, perhaps because they are embarrassed or unsure of how to react to the speaker's presence.

Despite the person's shyness, the speaker is hopeful about the future. The final stanza contains the speaker's reflection on the encounter and their hopes for the future. The speaker notes that "tomorrow night" they will see the person they love again. This suggests that the encounter was not a chance encounter, but rather a planned meeting. The speaker then expresses their hope that the person they love will be "less shy" and more open to their feelings.

Themes and Motifs

"So bashful when I spied her!" is a poem that explores several themes and motifs. One of the most prominent themes is love. The poem is a beautiful expression of the joy and excitement that comes with falling in love. The speaker's physical reactions to seeing the person they love, such as their heart "flying up" and their feet refusing to walk, convey the intensity of their emotions.

Another theme that is explored in the poem is shyness. The person the speaker loves is portrayed as shy and reserved. This shyness creates a sense of tension in the poem, as the speaker is unsure of how the person they love feels about them. The use of the word "bashful" in the title of the poem sets the tone for this theme and is a motif that is carried throughout the poem.

The motif of time is also present in the poem. The speaker notes that they will see the person they love "tomorrow night." This suggests that the encounter was not a chance encounter, but rather a planned meeting. The use of time in the poem creates a sense of anticipation and excitement, as the speaker looks forward to seeing the person they love again.

Conclusion

"So bashful when I spied her!" is a beautiful expression of love. The poem's use of vivid imagery and language creates a sense of joy and excitement, while its exploration of themes such as love and shyness creates a sense of depth and complexity. The poem is a testament to Emily Dickinson's skill as a poet and her ability to capture the nuances of the human experience. It is a poem that has stood the test of time and continues to move and inspire readers today.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

So bashful when I spied her! Oh, Emily Dickinson, how you captured the essence of a shy encounter with such eloquence and grace. This classic poem is a testament to the power of observation and the beauty of human connection.

At its core, "So bashful when I spied her!" is a poem about the thrill of seeing someone you admire and the nervousness that comes with the possibility of rejection. The speaker is clearly smitten with the subject of the poem, but is hesitant to approach her due to her shyness.

The first line of the poem sets the tone for the rest of the piece: "So bashful when I spied her!" The use of the word "bashful" immediately conveys a sense of timidity and hesitation. The speaker is not only describing the subject of the poem, but also acknowledging their own nervousness in the situation.

The second line, "So pretty - so ashamed!" further emphasizes the subject's shyness and vulnerability. The use of the word "ashamed" is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the subject is not only shy, but also feels a sense of embarrassment or self-consciousness.

The third line, "So hidden in her leaflets lest anybody find" adds another layer to the poem. The subject is not only shy, but also actively trying to hide herself from others. This could be interpreted as a form of self-protection or a desire for privacy.

The fourth line, "You almost feel for spying" is a reflection of the speaker's own guilt and discomfort in the situation. They are aware that they are intruding on the subject's privacy, but cannot help their own curiosity and attraction.

The fifth and sixth lines, "All near so neighborly as I / And yet so rife with sun" suggest that the speaker and the subject are in close proximity to each other, but are still separated by their own internal barriers. The use of the word "neighborly" implies a sense of familiarity and community, but the subject's shyness prevents them from fully engaging with others.

The final two lines of the poem, "I could not help for laughing / At what had come upon" provide a sense of resolution and release. The speaker has acknowledged their own nervousness and the subject's shyness, and has found humor in the situation. This could be interpreted as a form of catharsis or a way of breaking the tension.

Overall, "So bashful when I spied her!" is a beautiful and nuanced poem that explores the complexities of human interaction. It is a reminder that even the most seemingly insignificant encounters can have a profound impact on our lives.

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