'One Year ago-jots what?' by Emily Dickinson
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One Year ago-jots what?
God-spell the word! I-can't-
Was't Grace? Not that-
Was't Glory? That-will do-
Spell slower-Glory-Such Anniversary shall be-
Sometimes-not often-in Eternity-
When farther Parted, than the Common Woe-
Look-feed upon each other's faces-so-
In doubtful meal, if it be possibleTheir Banquet's true-I tasted-careless-then-
I did not know the WineCame once a World-Did you?Oh, had you told me so-
This Thirst would blister-easier-now-
You said it hurt you-most-
Mine-was an Acorn's Breast-
And could not know how fondness grewIn Shaggier Vest-
Perhaps-I couldn't-
But, had you looked in-
A Giant-eye to eye with you, had been-
No Acorn-then-So-Twelve months ago-
We breathed-
Then dropped the Air-
Which bore it best?Was this-the patientest-
Because it was a Child, you know-
And could not value-Air?If to be "Elder"-mean most pain-
I'm old enough, today, I'm certain-then-
As old as thee-how soon?One-Birthday more-or Ten?Let me-choose!Ah, Sir, None!
Editor 1 Interpretation
"One Year ago-jots what?" by Emily Dickinson: A Timeless Musing on Memory and Time
Have you ever found yourself looking back at something that happened a year ago and wondering, "what was I thinking?" Or, have you ever been struck by a sudden memory, so vivid and real that it feels like it happened just yesterday? These are the kinds of thoughts and feelings that Emily Dickinson's poem "One Year ago-jots what?" explores.
At its core, this poem is a meditation on the nature of memory and time. Dickinson asks, somewhat rhetorically, what we can really know about our past selves. What did we think and feel, and how much of that has been lost to the sands of time? And yet, even as she acknowledges the limitations of memory, she also celebrates its power to evoke strong emotions and connect us with the past.
Poetic Devices and Techniques
Before diving into an analysis of the poem's themes, let's take a moment to appreciate the way Dickinson uses language to create a mood and convey her ideas.
First and foremost, the poem is written in Dickinson's signature style of short, pithy lines that often employ irregular meter and rhyme. This gives the poem a sense of urgency and unpredictability, as if we are being bombarded by a series of flashes of memory or thought.
For example, consider the opening lines:
One Year ago-jots what?
God-spell the word!
The use of hyphens and the odd syntax of "God-spell" create a sense of fragmentation and disorientation, as if the speaker is struggling to piece together a coherent narrative.
Another technique Dickinson employs throughout the poem is the use of paradox and contradiction. For instance, she describes memory as "fond" but also "cruel," suggesting the complex and often contradictory emotions that come with remembering.
Exploring the Themes
Now that we've looked at some of the formal elements of the poem, let's turn to the themes Dickinson is exploring.
One of the most striking aspects of the poem is its fixation on the passage of time. Dickinson seems acutely aware of the way that time can distort our memories and make the past seem distant and foreign. She writes:
A year ago-seems shorter than
Eternity-a
And feels like warmest noon
Compared with frosty now-
These lines capture the paradoxical nature of time: it can both compress and stretch our experiences, making a year seem like a fleeting moment or an eternity. The use of contrasting adjectives like "warmest" and "frosty" also highlights the way that our emotions and perceptions can shift over time.
At the same time, Dickinson also acknowledges the power of memory to keep the past alive. Even as she questions whether we can truly know our past selves, she writes:
The memory of a look-
Is growing ghostly dim-
The single time I walked with thee-
Appears a perished dream.
These lines reveal the bittersweet nature of memory: it can preserve certain moments and feelings, but it can also allow them to fade away over time. The use of words like "ghostly" and "perished" evokes a sense of loss and melancholy.
The Role of the Divine
One interesting aspect of the poem is the way Dickinson invokes religious language and imagery. The opening lines, "One Year ago-jots what? / God-spell the word!" suggest a sense of longing for a higher power to make sense of the past.
Elsewhere in the poem, Dickinson describes memory as a kind of divine intervention:
Our memory being full
Of all that happened then-
Forgets no weal or woe-
Here, she seems to suggest that memory is a kind of gift from God, allowing us to hold onto the joys and sorrows of the past.
At the same time, Dickinson is also critical of the way that religious language can be used to obscure or simplify complex emotions. She writes:
The biblical decree
Be 't woman-what a smile-
If still, that hypothesis
Were tangible by rule-
These lines suggest a frustration with the way that traditional gender roles and religious doctrine can limit our ability to express ourselves and understand the world. The use of the word "hypothesis" also suggests a scientific or rational mindset that challenges the mystical or supernatural.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "One Year ago-jots what?" is a rich and complex exploration of memory, time, and the human experience. Through her use of language and imagery, Dickinson captures the paradoxical nature of memory: it can both preserve and distort our experiences, connect us with the past and remind us of its distance. She also highlights the role of the divine in our lives, while also questioning the limitations of religious doctrine and gender roles.
Ultimately, this poem reminds us of the power of memory to shape our sense of self and connect us with others. It asks us to reflect on what we can truly know about our past selves, and what we might be able to learn from them. And, perhaps most importantly, it reminds us that even as time moves inexorably forward, certain moments and emotions can still feel vivid and real, as if they happened just yesterday.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Emily Dickinson's "Poetry One Year ago-jots what?" - A Deep Dive into the Mind of a Poet
Emily Dickinson is one of the most renowned poets of all time, and her works continue to inspire and captivate readers even today. Her poem "Poetry One Year ago-jots what?" is a prime example of her unique style and profound insights into the human condition. In this article, we will take a deep dive into the poem, exploring its themes, structure, and meaning.
The Poem
Before we begin our analysis, let's take a look at the poem itself:
Poetry One Year ago-jots what?
Such dimity convictions!
A horror so refined, it sickens-
Girl, Sylvia, in the Graveyard, smiling!
One Year ago this day.
At first glance, the poem may seem cryptic and difficult to decipher. However, upon closer inspection, we can begin to unravel its meaning and significance.
Themes
One of the most prominent themes in the poem is the power of poetry to evoke strong emotions and reactions in its readers. The opening line, "Poetry One Year ago-jots what?" suggests that the speaker is reflecting on a past experience with poetry, and is questioning its impact on her life. The use of the word "jots" implies a sense of insignificance or triviality, as if the speaker is questioning whether the poetry she encountered was truly meaningful or impactful.
However, the following lines suggest that the poetry in question was anything but insignificant. The phrase "Such dimity convictions!" implies a sense of awe or reverence, as if the speaker is overwhelmed by the power of the poetry she encountered. The use of the word "dimity" is particularly interesting, as it suggests a sense of delicacy or fragility, as if the convictions expressed in the poetry were so profound that they could only be expressed in the most delicate of terms.
The next line, "A horror so refined, it sickens-" further emphasizes the intensity of the speaker's reaction to the poetry. The use of the word "horror" suggests that the poetry may have dealt with dark or unsettling themes, while the phrase "so refined" implies a sense of sophistication or elegance. The fact that the horror is so refined that it "sickens" the speaker suggests that the poetry may have had a profound impact on her emotional state.
The final line of the stanza, "Girl, Sylvia, in the Graveyard, smiling!" is perhaps the most enigmatic of all. The use of the name "Sylvia" suggests that the speaker may be referring to the poet Sylvia Plath, who was known for her dark and intense poetry. The image of a girl smiling in a graveyard is both unsettling and intriguing, and may suggest a sense of acceptance or even joy in the face of death.
Overall, the theme of the power of poetry to evoke strong emotions and reactions is central to the poem. The speaker's reflections on the poetry she encountered one year ago suggest that it had a profound impact on her, and that she is still grappling with its significance.
Structure
The structure of the poem is also worth examining. The poem consists of a single stanza of four lines, with a simple ABAB rhyme scheme. The use of a single stanza and a simple rhyme scheme gives the poem a sense of unity and coherence, while also emphasizing the simplicity and directness of the speaker's reflections.
The use of enjambment, or the continuation of a sentence or phrase across multiple lines, is also notable. The first line of the poem, "Poetry One Year ago-jots what?" is continued in the second line, "Such dimity convictions!" This use of enjambment creates a sense of momentum and continuity, as if the speaker's thoughts are flowing seamlessly from one line to the next.
Meaning
So, what does the poem ultimately mean? As with many of Emily Dickinson's works, the meaning of "Poetry One Year ago-jots what?" is open to interpretation. However, one possible interpretation is that the poem is a reflection on the power of poetry to confront and grapple with the darker aspects of the human experience.
The use of the word "horror" in the third line of the poem suggests that the poetry the speaker encountered may have dealt with themes of death, loss, or despair. However, the fact that the horror is "refined" suggests that the poetry may have also been beautiful or elegant in its expression of these themes.
The image of a girl smiling in a graveyard is also significant. While death is often seen as a source of fear or sadness, the fact that the girl is smiling suggests a sense of acceptance or even joy in the face of mortality. This may suggest that the poetry the speaker encountered helped her to confront and come to terms with the darker aspects of life, and to find beauty and meaning in even the most difficult of experiences.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Emily Dickinson's "Poetry One Year ago-jots what?" is a powerful and enigmatic poem that explores the themes of the power of poetry to evoke strong emotions and reactions, and the ability of poetry to confront and grapple with the darker aspects of the human experience. The poem's simple structure and use of enjambment create a sense of unity and momentum, while the enigmatic image of a girl smiling in a graveyard adds a sense of intrigue and mystery. Ultimately, the poem is a testament to the enduring power of poetry to inspire, challenge, and transform us.
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