A slash of Blue

Portrait of Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson 1830–1886
204Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson

A slash of Blue -- A sweep of Gray -- Some scarlet patches on the way, Compose an Evening Sky -- A little purple -- slipped between -- Some Ruby Trousers hurried on -- A Wave of Gold -- A Bank of Day -- This just makes out the Morning Sky.

From the bookComplete Poems of Emily DickinsonEdited by Thomas H. Johnson (Little, Brown)

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  1. ashley

    This poem puts a perfect picture in your mind about the evening sky going into a the night then finally day.It is a beautiful poem.

  2. Michelle

    A beatuiful poem. If i close my eyes i can really picture the sky.

  3. celestrial

    i am doing this poem for a project and i chose it coz it brings a beautiful image into my mind

    =]

  4. cutie pie :) Botswana

    I am doing this for a project and was having a hard time knowing what to choose. I have decided on this one because of the comments that people wrote on this poem.

  5. Ashley Morales United States

    I am doing a project for literature and i don't understand most of these poems. But this one I understand perfectly, Whenever I am looking at the sky I always think of it as a perfect painting and this and this poem explains my idea perfectly.

  6. some guy... United States

    Finally! One poem i understand. I look at the other poems and go all wierd scrunched in face to wonder what it means...

  7. Waylon Canada

    If there are other words to describe the sky like this, they are no longer needed. This is truly a masterpiece.

  8. Rachel United States

    The poem has vivid and colorful imagery. And the diction is simple and comprehensible. When the gold wave is mentioned I get a beautiful picture of the sun. This free verse poem is really good also because of the figurative language within its context.

  9. Audren Glass United States

    Why does no one see what the lady is describing. The irony in it is that a poem so beautiful describes a scene so horrible. I think she is telling us about the Civil War.

  10. anita United States

    I believe the civil war is what she is talking about. It is not beautiful at all, it is sad and descriptive. It is almost like she is saying, what seems to be isn't.

  11. nicolette United States

    really? how do you get the civil war out of this. i agree witht he others. if there is something i am not seeing, please help and explain more. thanx

  12. dale United States

    this poem is definitely about the civil war. The civil war was one of the most influential times on Dickinsons poetry. The slash of Blue is representative of marching Union soldiers, while the streak of gray is the confederates early in the morning. red patches could be representative of the bandages used for the soldiers wounds. The evening sky is Emily's wish for the war to finish. Purple slipped between might be cannon smoke as shelooks out the window. ruby trousers hurried on is the wounded soldier being stretchered quickly away. the repetition of morning sky elaborates on how gruesome war is in a matter of moments. Maybe I'm completely off but thats what I saw.

  13. jamie United States

    i love this poem ilove the sky! i love how the sun sets but is it truely about the civil war? maybe it is maybe its not but it is a gorgeous poem!

  14. Katie United States

    I am using this poem as part of a collabration that i am using for a Forensics meet. I love that this poem has too meanings... The civil war and the morning sun.

  15. owen United States ↩ replying to dale

    I have to agree with dale(comment 13)on this poem I think it adressed it perfectly.

  16. Jenny United States

    I am using this poem for an honors application and I love how it has two meanings! Thanks for helping me out on the civil war meaning guys. I couldn't have done it without you.

  17. that gurl Canada

    wow i never thought about the whole idea of war is this poem but it makes sense after awhile...
    i love the double meaning

  18. Janey Canada

    This is such an interesting poem with a double meaning. I love double meanings, they are so neat. You know the person really thought out their poem before making it, you know they hold it dear to their hearts, and hope that other people will love it just like they do, which I hope we all do.

  19. MARISOL United States

    I THINK ITS A REALLY NEAT POEM BUT I DIDNT SEE THE MEANING ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR BUT I CAN SEE WHY IT MAY BE THE IMAGERY OF THIS POEMS FELLS SO SURREAL THAT U CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE SKY BEING COMPOSED

  20. Michael United States

    I agree with alot of people that this is a great poem by emily dickinson about the about the civil war

  21. becky! New Zealand

    i liked it.

  22. 17 year old teen from FREDDOM HS in VA United States ↩ replying to some guy...

    Some of you people dont know what your talking about. Some of you peoples comments dont have anything to do with Emily Dickinson's topic. Ex- the 2 people (MARISOL and Katie from United States) talking about the Civil War. The poem is talking about the colors of the morning and evening sky NOT the CIVIL WAR. PLEASE STICK TO THE TOPIC NEXT TIME YOU MAKE A COMMENT.

  23. lala United States

    In case you really lack that much knowledge on Dickinson's work or any poetry at all, there is always the literal meaning and then another meaning that you have to investigate or read between the lines to get!
    Kind of like the childhood nursery rhyme "Ring Around the Rosie Pocket Full of Posies Ashes Ashes We all Fall Down" I believe it is referring to the Plague, or something I can't quite remember but I do know "We All Fall Down" is referring to death. Please don't make comments if they don't require even a shred of intelligence.

  24. Jessica H. United States

    Pretty!

  25. sonia romero El Salvador

    reading

    i like your poem a slash of blue

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