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Emily Dickinson - One Sister have I in our house

One Sister have I in our house,
And one, a hedge away.
There's only one recorded,
But both belong to me.

One came the road that I came --
And wore my last year's gown --
The other, as a bird her nest,
Builded our hearts among.

She did not sing as we did --
It was a different tune --
Herself to her a music
As Bumble bee of June.

Today is far from Childhood --
But up and down the hills
I held her hand the tighter --
Which shortened all the miles --

And still her hum
The years among,
Deceives the Butterfly;
Still in her Eye
The Violets lie
Mouldered this many May.

I spilt the dew --
But took the morn --
I chose this single star
From out the wide night's numbers --
Sue - forevermore!

Added: on February 2nd, 2006 at 11:38 PM | Viewed: 17128 times | Comments and analysis of One Sister have I in our house by Emily Dickinson Comments (17)


One Sister have I in our house - Comments and Information

Poet: Emily Dickinson (Emily Dickinson Art)
Poem: 14. One Sister have I in our house
Volume: Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
Year: Published/Written in 1955
Poem of the Day: Oct 21 2008

Comment 17 of 17, added on October 22nd, 2009 at 6:17 AM.

Clearly, the poet is expressing but deep affection for her sister-in-law who is her immediate neighbor. It was the custom of 19th centuary writers to often use romantic and passionate words with an innocent meaning. If there had been any other meaning I hardly think it would have been written as a poem which could have been published and was allowed to remain by herself and family after her death. Biographers' interpretations want primarily to appeal to their own age. In fact, it is one of her easiest poems to understand if you take proper notice of her favored dashes! They are breaks not slight pauses as a comma.

Timothy from United Kingdom
Comment 16 of 17, added on February 22nd, 2008 at 4:15 PM.

sisters are cool when they are older

sky from United States
Comment 15 of 17, added on February 2nd, 2006 at 11:38 PM.

The book's called "Open Me Carefully," and it's now widely believed that Emily Dickinson shared a... somewhat sapphic relationship? with Sue Dickinson. While intimate female friendships were often common in the time period in which both women lived, the soaring and often amorous language "Sue - Forevermore!" suggests a relationship closer to lover than to 'friend' or 'sister'.

Katie from United States

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