A Wind that Rose Though Not a Leaf : Emily Dickinson's Nature Mysticism

Potter's Marsh, Mew Gull Chicks (Larus canus)

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Circuit III - (Epilogue) (23) A Wind that Rose Though Not a Leaf (J-1259) (F-1216)

⁽¹⁾ A wind that rose though not a leaf
In any forest stirred,
⁽²⁾ But with itself did cold engage
Beyond the realm of bird.
⁽³⁾ A wind that woke a lone delight
Like separation's swell —
⁽⁴⁾ Restored in Arctic confidence
To the invisible.

^{(Below: an original manuscript version

without editing or imposed lineation.)}

⁽¹⁾ A Wind
that rose
Though not
a Leaf
In any
Forest stirred
⁽²⁾ But with
itself
did cold engage
Beyond the
Realm of Bird –
⁽³⁾ A Wind that
woke a lone
Delight
Like Separation's
Swell
⁽⁴⁾ Restored in
Arctic Confidence
To the
Invisible –

~ Emily Dickinson

Slideshow ~ Wilderness! Alaska!

Commentary adapted from Emily Dickinson's Poems & Letters

^(1-2) "The birds, in docile rows, arranged themselves around
their prince — the Wind — is prince of those." ~ (J-0304) (F-0518)

^(1-2) "The wind. The Bible chooses that you know to
define the Spirit." ~ (L #407)

^(1-4) "That bird of mine, though flown — learneth
beyond the sea, melody new for me, and will return."
~ (L #175) (J-0005) (F-0004)

^(1-4) "Afar upon the wind . . . delight without a cause — arrestless
as invisible — a matter of the skies." ~ (J-0774) (F-0873)

⁽²⁾ "Science will not trust us with another world." ~ (L #395)

⁽³⁾ "The fence is the only sanctuary. That
no one invades because no one suspects it." ~ (L #359)

^(3-4) "This world is not conclusion; a species stands beyond —
invisible, as music — but positive, as sound!" ~ (J-0501) (F-0373)

^(3-4) "'Of all the sounds despatched abroad, there's not a charge
to me like that old measure in the boughs -- that phraseless melody."
~ (J-0321) (F-0334)

^(3-4) "'Going home,' was he not an aborigine of the sky?" ~ (L #1040)

^(3-4) "It's finer — not to know — if summer were an axiom —
what sorcery had snow?" ~ (J-0191) (F-0213)

^(3-4) "To the faithful Absence is condensed presence. To others —
but there are no others." (L #587)

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Photo Credit: USFWS ~ Alaska, Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge,
Potter's Marsh, Mew Gull Chicks (Larus canus)