I see thee clearer for the Grave
That took thy face between
No Mirror could illumine thee
Like that impassive stone —
I know thee better for the Act
That made thee first unknown
The stature of the empty nest
Attests the Bird that’s gone.
I see thee clearer for the Grave
That took thy face between
No Mirror could illumine thee
Like that impassive stone —
I know thee better for the Act
That made thee first unknown
The stature of the empty nest
Attests the Bird that’s gone.
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It seems as if Emily is writing of her lost father here. As any of us know who have lost a parent, the grave does make us see with far greater clarity the real person we’ve lost. And what imagery, the empty nest, which stands as a testimonial for her father’s qualities.