It Sifts from Leaden Sieves : Emily Dickinson's Nature Mysticism

Squirrel, Washington Square Park Snowstorm

^{"The terror of the winter has made a little creature of me

who thought myself so bold." ~ Emily Dickinson}

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Circuit III - (22) It Sifts from Leaden Sieves (J-0311) (F-0291)

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⁽¹⁾ It sifts from leaden sieves,
It powders all the wood,
⁽²⁾ It fills with alabaster wool
The wrinkles of the road.

⁽³⁾ It makes an even face
Of mountain and of plain —
⁽⁴⁾ Unbroken forehead from the east
Unto the east again.

⁽⁵⁾ It reaches to the fence,
It wraps it, rail by rail,
⁽⁶⁾ Till it is lost in fleeces;
It flings a crystal veil

⁽⁷⁾ On stump and stack and stem —
The summer's empty room,
⁽⁸⁾ Acres of seams, where harvests were,
Recordless, but for them.

⁽⁹⁾ It ruffles wrists of posts,
As ankles of a queen —
⁽¹⁰⁾ Then stills its artisans like ghosts,
Denying they have been.

^{(Below: a second manuscript version of the same

poem, without editing or imposed lineation, excepting

Dickinson's alternative, "Figures" added.

"Capricorn"
is the Zodiac sign for December.)}

⁽¹⁾ It sifts from
Leaden Sieves –
It powders all
the Wood –
⁽²⁾ It fills with
Alabaster Wool
The Wrinkles
of the Road –

⁽³⁾ It scatters
like the Birds –
Condenses like
a Flock –
⁽⁴⁾ Like Juggler's
Figures situates
Upon a baseless
Arc –

⁽⁵⁾ It traverses
yet halts –
Disperses as
it stays –
⁽⁶⁾ Then curls
itself in Capricorn –
Denying that
it was.

~ Emily Dickinson
Slideshow ~ Observation!

Commentary adapted from Emily Dickinson's Poems & Letters

^(1-4) "Without the snow's tableau, winter were lie — to me —
because I see — New Englandly." (J-0285) (F-0256)

^(1-10) "The snow is so white and sudden it seems almost like a
Change of Heart — though I don't mean a 'Conversion' —
I mean a Revolution." ~ (L #678)

^(1-10) "The terror of the winter has made a little creature of me,
who thought myself so bold." ~ (L #360)

⁽²⁾ "This was in the white of the year, that was in the green,
drifts were as difficult then to think as daisies now to be seen."
(J-0995) (F-1014)

^(3-4) "It storms in Amherst five days - it snows, and then it rains,
and then soft fogs like vails hang on all the houses, and then
the days turn Topaz, like a lady's pin." ~ (L #212)

^(3-4) "The lower metres of the year, when nature's laugh is done — the
Revelations of the book whose Genesis is June." ~ (J-1115) (F-1142)

^(3-6) "I come in flakes, dear Dr. Holland, for verily it snows." ~ (L #181)

⁽⁶⁾ "This that would greet — an hour ago — is quaintest distance —
now — [Nevertheless] had it a guest from Paradise...
match me the crystal reticence — match me the solid calm."
~ (J-0778) (F-0879-alternative)

^(7-10) "Yet have I much bouquet upon the window pane of moss and fern.
I call them Saints' flowers, because they do not romp as other
flowers do, but stand so still and white." ~ (L #213)

⁽⁹⁾ "The crocus till she rises the vassal of the snow."
~ (J-0031) (F-0016)

^(9-10) "February passed like a skate and I know March." ~ (L #315)

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Squirrel, Washington Square Park Snowstorm, NYC