A Wounded Deer — leaps highest —
I’ve heard the Hunter tell —
‘Tis but the Ecstasy of death —
And then the Brake is still!

The Smitten Rock that gushes!
The trampled Steel that springs!
A Cheek is always redder
Just where the Hectic stings!

Mirth is the Mail of Anguish
In which it Cautious Arm,
Lest anybody spy the blood
And “you’re hurt” exclaim!

Analysis, meaning and summary of Emily Dickinson's poem A Wounded Deer — leaps highest

7 Comments

  1. rie says:

    we are to be strong when emotionally hurt

  2. frumpo says:

    We hide our sorrows.

  3. Allie says:

    “Only an American would say that this poem makes no sense”
    My feelings exactly-it would only make no sense to an imbecile.
    It obviously is speaking to a great suffering that has made her strive against the issue at hand.

  4. Allie says:

    “Only an American would say that this poem makes no sense”
    My feelings exactly-it would only make no sense to an imbecile.
    It obviously is speaking to a great suffering that has made her strive against the issue at hand.

  5. Cris Smith says:

    I’ve never posted comments before but saying that this poem is nonsense is sacrilegeous!
    “A wounded deer leaps highest” what a great image to express the leap of a great poet that had felt wounded by the world. (Dickinson to Higgins: “Thanks for the surgery, I am circular / “This is a letter to the world that never wrote to me”, etc.). Much more could be said about it but just as food for thought — for those who take literature and poetry seriously — think about Lavinia (Titus Andronicus) and think about the proverbial wounded deer withdrawing to die. Think about “deer” and “dear”.

  6. Mike Detwiler says:

    Well, it may seem incoherent, but it still could pass for extremely early (by about 130 years) hell metal! I can easily imagine someone like Exodus, King Diamond or maybe even Demon Burger (Dimmu Borgir) grunting these lyrics over a sludgy backdrop of evil, chugging dropped-D riffs … then switching to squealing Flying-V solos over a double-bass blast beat in the choruses … numsane?

  7. brian swenson says:

    this poem makes no sense at all

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