Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Behind Me - dips Eternity -," Emily Dickinson explores themes of time, existence, and the mysteries of the beyond with her characteristic blend of precise language and expansive imagination. The poem is like a small cosmos in itself, grappling with concepts that are as intimate as they are cosmic.

The first stanza introduces the duality of 'Eternity' behind the speaker and 'Immortality' before her, with "Myself - the Term between." It's a profound statement on human life's transitory nature, trapped between two incomprehensible expanses. The reference to "Death" as "the Drift of Eastern Gray," serves to demystify the usually dreaded phenomenon, making it a mere transition into something else, as natural as dawn breaking.

The second stanza expands on the concept of 'what comes after.' With lines like "'Tis Kingdoms - afterward - they say -," the poet plays with religious and philosophical ideas of the afterlife but keeps a distance by saying "they say," as if not wholly buying into any established doctrine. "In perfect - pauseless Monarchy - / Whose Prince - is Son of None" introduces an interesting paradox. The "pauseless Monarchy" suggests an eternal reign, but its "Prince" is a "Son of None," pointing perhaps to the infinite and self-contained nature of the universe, or God, as a being beyond our human frameworks of lineage and time.

The third stanza delves into the miraculous nature of existence. The stanza is a marvel of imagery, juxtaposing terrestrial and celestial pictures - a "Crescent in the Sea" and "Maelstrom - in the Sky." It is as if the poet sees life itself as a suspended miracle, an enigmatic period between cosmic phenomena.

The imagery of "Midnight to the North of Her - / And Midnight to the South of Her" is particularly striking. Here, midnight could symbolize both the mystery and the unknown, elements that surround the miracle of life from all sides. The crescent - a traditional symbol of change, transition, and potential - is suspended between these midnights, highlighting the 'in-between' nature of human existence.

Interestingly, Dickinson places "Maelstrom - in the Sky" as the concluding note. A maelstrom is a powerful, swirling whirlpool, and its placement in the sky could symbolize the chaos and complexity that comes with the questions of existence, eternity, and immortality. It suggests that the concepts she is grappling with are not static but dynamic, constantly pulling us into their complex spirals.

In sum, Emily Dickinson's poem serves as an existential exploration. It examines life as a fleeting moment suspended between the unknowable eternities and immortalities that came before and will come after us. It forces the reader to confront their own transience, offering no answers but presenting the universe's complexity in a manner that is both humbling and awe-inspiring. Dickinson doesn't claim to understand the mysteries she discusses; rather, she magnifies their miraculous nature, turning lack of understanding into a form of profound insight.

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...