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December 25th, 2009 - we have 234 poets, 8,023 poems and 18,129 comments.
Emily Dickinson - I like to see it lap the Miles --

I like to see it lap the Miles --
And lick the Valleys up --
And stop to feed itself at Tanks --
And then -- prodigious step

Around a Pile of Mountains --
And supercilious peer
In Shanties -- by the sides of Roads --
And then a Quarry pare

To fit its Ribs
And crawl between
Complaining all the while
In horrid -- hooting stanza --
Then chase itself down Hill --

And neigh like Boanerges --
Then -- punctual as a Star
Stop -- docile and omnipotent
At its own stable door --

Added: on November 5th, 2008 at 7:49 AM | Viewed: 18764 times | Comments and analysis of I like to see it lap the Miles -- by Emily Dickinson Comments (15)


I like to see it lap the Miles -- - Comments and Information

Poet: Emily Dickinson (Emily Dickinson Art)
Poem: 585. I like to see it lap the Miles --
Volume: Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
Year: Published/Written in 1955

Comment 15 of 15, added on February 23rd, 2009 at 4:39 PM.

To me this poem is "superciliously" staring into the shanties of the people who can least afford the luxury of privacy. If you look at the meaning of supercilious, you will see a secondary meaning haughty or arrogant. The train was tearing through new territory at the expense of those who lived along the roads. The image of a horse crawling over and squeezing through tunnels may seem playful, but I think Ms. Dickinson was making a social comment with a far deeper meaning than the whimsical I often hear from other readers. Anybody out there agree?

BJ from United States
Comment 14 of 15, added on January 29th, 2009 at 2:17 PM.

I think Emily dickinson is a very intellengent women and that poem maybe means she is comparing a river to a horse. Maybe she was comparing a trian to a horse!

Jordan from United States
Comment 13 of 15, added on November 5th, 2008 at 7:49 AM.

I thpught thispoem had symbolic meaning to the word athlete. This is a womon who never really experienced a family and her hosr represent the American dream of full speed ahead while you can and take your time to get to where you want to go.

reginald from United States

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