The Brain — is wider than the Sky —

The Brain — is wider than the Sky —
For — put them side by side —
The one the other will contain
With ease — and You — beside —

The Brain is deeper than the sea —
For — hold them — Blue to Blue —
The one the other will absorb —
As Sponges — Buckets — do —

The Brain is just the weight of God —
For — Heft them — Pound for Pound —
And they will differ — if they do —
As Syllable from Sound —

Analysis, meaning and summary of Emily Dickinson's poem The Brain — is wider than the Sky —

82 Comments

  1. Mark Kimata says:

    The Brain is wider than the sky

    In the poem “The Brain is wider than the sky,” Dickinson attempts to emphasize the true size of the human mind. In order to truly portray the truly infinite size of the human brain, she compares it with the limitless clear, weather holding sky and the never ending, original habitat, the ocean. Attempting to have an “awe” moment, she mentions that “the brain is just the weight of God.” When one thinks about the weight of God, you begin to have a deep thought where you realize exactly what Ms. Dickinson was portraying that unlike the ocean and the sky, the human mind has an infinite, and ironically weightless incomparable capacity which is learning. Similarly the ocean and the sky are always changing as time goes on and as time goes on; the human brain is still evolving. Therefore in conclusion, we end up learning something new from this wonderful poem, showing that our brains are our most essential parts of our body.

  2. Alexandra Carter says:

    In “The Brain is wider that the Sky,” Dickinson is trying to portray that the brain has limitless possibilities compared to the expansive physical attributes of the world. In referring to the lines “The one the other will contain with ease and you beside” Dickinson is comparing the capacity of the sky to the capacity of the mind. From that passage, the reader can infer that minds capability for emotion, knowledge, experience, and memory cannot fit in the vast space of the sky. Our brain is limitless in its capacity. Dickinson also compares the depth of the brain to the sea. In the passage “The one the other will absorb as Sponges Buckets’ do” shows that the brain has unlimited adaptability and the ability to learn cannot be compared tot the depth of the sea. The brain compared to the largest physical features of the world, is truly incomparable because the brains capacity can never be completely measured. Reading Emily Dickinson’s poem “The Brain is wider than the Sky” conveys a positive outlook on the ability of the human brain to attain knowledge beyond the measure of the sky or the depth of the sea. Positive and incomparable words such as “wider” and “deeper” promote a positive outlook on the capacity of the brain compared to the other large aspects of the world.

  3. ****LOUWEEZA H***** says:

    In the poem The Brain –Is Wider than the Sky, Emily Dickson explains how the human mind has great intellect because it can expand and grow to the widths of the sky. I feel as though she was trying to emphasize the point that when you extend your thoughts and your imagination, they can be compared to the widths of the sky. In the line The One the other will absorb as sponges and buckets do, Emily talks about how our brain constantly absorbs information every single day therefore we learn causing the brain to grow. It extends her ideas that the human brain has no limits. Our minds are a terrible thing to waste therefore we should use it to our fullest potential.

  4. Natalia Roque says:

    In Emily’s Dickinson ’s poem “The Brain is wider than the Sky,” Dickinson is comparing many things of nature with the brain. For example when she says “The brain is wider than the sky”, she is talking about how the brain has no set boundaries. It can gather as much information as it wants as for the sky has limits. She also compares “The brain is deeper than the sea”, by this she means that the brain is like a sponge and can absorb infinite things, where as the sea can always overflow. Dickinson’s last observation is that “The brain is just the weight of God”, Emily tries to portray God and the Human Brain to a remarkable thing that every one needs. She is saying that like God a person needs a brain to live.

  5. Sydney says:

    Here, I believe, Ms. Dickinson is explaining the depth of the human intellect and the mind’s capacity for things beyond reason or doubt. This poem has an air of awe and inspiration of God’s greatest gift to mankind, the one tool that gives us the power of imagination.
    “The Brain is just the weight of God
    For-Heft them-Pound for Pound”
    Dickinson capitalizes ‘Heft’ and ‘Pound’ as means to convey the message that the weight of the intellect is a holy poundage for God alone.

  6. Chelsea says:

    I believe that in Emily Dickinson’s “The Brain is Wider than the Sky”, she expresses the importance and greatness we can show through our brain. She lets us know that no matter what we can never learn too much. Through the line “The one the other will contain” I feel is expressing that we can learn anything from the world with no limit. Therefore our “brain is wider than the sky” and “deeper than the sea”. This poem gives everyone a spectacular view on what his or her brain can absorb and conquer. She also continues on with weighing our power of the brain to the strengths and powers of God himself.

  7. Nicholas says:

    This poem made me think of the mind in a new way. It opened me to the thought that the powers of our brains are endless and can be great when used to its full potential. When I finished reading it felt that I could achieve anything that I set my mind to. My favorite line was the one comparing the brain to the sky. Which said to me that the sky is the limit for what you want to achieve using your brain.

  8. Alyse Bryant says:

    In Emily Dickinson, The Brain — is wider than the Sky–. I have came to an understanding that the brain is abundantly powerful than any thing. When Emily Dickinson stated, The Brain is deeper Than the Sea- – For — Hold them Blue to Blue– The one the other will absorb– As sponges– Buckets– do. That tells me that the brain takes in everything and stores it, the brain reacts as a sponge and absorbs all information. The sea can only hold a certain amount…a bucket can only hold a certain amount. We should never take the brain for granted. It is a horrible thing to waiste. People should use their brains to their full ability for the brain is the most powerful object in the world.

  9. Carlos Rodriguez says:

    Through her poem, “The Brain –is wider than the sky,” Emily Dickinson expresses her comprehension of the human brain as a cosmic entity of which bears an unprecedented volume. A volume that God’s creations can not even encompass. The brain, she goes on, contains the sky and absorbs the sea. In that she implies that human thought is high and bright, and as deep and dark in that it ponders on…uncharted… In her thought she goes on to make the human brain as almighty of God himself, and makes it seem as if the power of the mysterious brain is great enough even to challenge him. All the same, she seems to describe the potency of the both (God and brain) as a “syllable and sound” alike in that one is the offspring of the other.

  10. Teria Harvin says:

    In the poem “The Brain–is wider than the Sky”, i think that it shows that your mind has much more knowledge than you think it does. It made me feel that if you compare natural things to knowledge, you can get a lot more out of the things you learn. It says that in the poem that “one the other will contain”. This came to my attention because I felt you can obtain as much knowledge as big as the sky but the sky can only hold so much besides the clouds. Symbolism is a very big part of this poem because Emily Dickinson uses the sky to show how much knowledge your brain has the ability to hold. It represents your intelligencem, your mind, and the information you are willing to let it hold.

  11. John Perren says:

    This poem is about the vastness and expansive capabilities of the brain. When she talks about the brain being wider than the sky she is express its vast ability to learn and expand with its new knowledge. The brain is deeper than the sea because of the depth of emotion and spiritualism in which it has. Lastly its heft is mention, and how pound for pound the brains ability is far superior to anything you put it up against. Overall the brain is the huge, ever expansive, and infinite in its ability to grow and change.

  12. Hannah O says:

    In Emily Dickinson’s poem “The Brain is wider the sky” she compares the human brain to being wider then the sky. That ours brains can image and produce unlimited thoughts or ideas. She compares the brain being deeper then the sea, “The one the other will absorb, As sponges – buckets do”. Meaning our minds are deep and absorb more information than a sponge can hold water, and you can never fill it up or learn too much like a bucket can overflow.

  13. Mark Kimata says:

    In this poem, Dickinson is emphasizing the true size of the human mind. Comparing it with the sky or the ocean, she is explaining that unlike the set dimensions of these two objects, the human brain has no limit. Unlike the two, the human mind has an infinite, incomparable capacity which is learning. Similarly the ocean and the sky are always changing as time goes on and as time goes on; the human brain is still evolving. This shows that our brain is the most essential necessity of our body because without it, there’s no hope for life.

  14. Justin Pitt says:

    I believe that in this poem, Dickinson is expressing the amazing span of the human mind.

    “The Brain — is wider than the Sky —
    For — put them side by side —
    The one the other will contain
    With ease –”

    She points out that the brain and the sky can contain each other with ease- this is, to me, the most profound part of the poem. While the brain is incredibly small in comparison to the sky, the spread of endless blue could contain millions of brains in the physical sense. A single mind has the mental capacity for not only the entire sky, but the ocean as well. Dickinson compares the brain to a “sponge”, a description that is only fitting to the amount of information our most amazing organ can suck in and permanently retain. It’s inspiring to see the poet express the limitless creativity and capacity of the mind. My personal reaction is to utilize this priceless ability as much as possible, and take in as much information as I can. However, I also feel that a sickeningly large portion of modern society completely neglects the powers of the mind. Such a waste…

  15. Eric Miller says:

    Emily Dickinson uses a theme of infinity. She uses imagery such as in this excerpt, “The Brain is deeper than the Sea” and “the Brian is wider than the Sky” to relate to a seemingly infinite space, the earth is one finite piece. While the brain is finite in a given size it is infinite in the ability to learn and to become wiser. Dickinson also relates the Brain’s infinite abilities to God’s infinite being. The reason Dickinson uses the correlation from nature to God is because she had many of the beliefs of the transcendentalists poets. Dickinson was able to show her beliefs through her analogy between God/Nature’s and relate it to humanity; “The Brain”.

  16. $Nico Delaney$ says:

    In Emily Dickinson’s poem ,”The Brain–is wider than the Sky”, her comparison between the human brain and the sky simply states that the capabilities and capacity of the mind are endless.As I myself read this poem it makes me think of the possibilities the mind can achieve.The comparisons of this poem made me realize the power that I have as a Human being.It also shows me how we all have the same ability but we still have different concepts because of what we let our minds absorb.When she says “The Brain is deeper than the sea” Dickinson writes as if the brain has enough capacity to be fulfilled, but it can only be filled if the time and dedicatioin is put into what its being studied in life.The brain itself acts like a “Sponge” or “Bucket” that is waiting to absorb or fill up with the right substances to reach the goal of fulfillment.To me, a mind can never overflow therefore it can never be full.

  17. Kathryn Chambers says:

    “The Brain — is wider than the Sky –” explains the philosophical interpretation of how the human mind really works. Emily Dickinson expresses her view of how the intelligence and imagination of the mind surpass all boundaries and encompass all things we view to be vast and unending. Using descriptions such as “The Brain is deeper than the sea–” Ms. Dickinson uses an aspect of nature usually viewed as inconceivably infinite and portrays it as something small compared to the immeasurable strength of mind power. She capitalizes words that are influential to the parallelisms between the brain and things such as, “the weight of God–”. Dickinson delves deep into the exact mystery of the human mind and its limitless boundaries.

  18. Josh Fennell says:

    I believe that the theme of this poem is the limitless potential of the brain. Dickinson compares it to other things which seem endless; the sky, the sea, and God. When Dickinson compares the brain to the sea she states that “The Brain is deeper than the sea —
    For — hold them — Blue to Blue —
    The one the other will absorb –“. This compares the brain to a sponge, able to absorb knowledge and wisdom. This makes me feel as if our brains are one of the most complex tools in the world, able to break the boundaries; our imaginations can takes us farther than anything else. As they say, a mind is a terrible thing to waste.

  19. Kevin M says:

    “The Brain – is wider then the sky” the title alone grasps the readers attention by stating an idea that compares something that seems infinite to a common trait that we all have. I believe that Dickson compares the mind to the sea and space, which in nature seem to have no end, in order to portray the grandness and the endless abilities our minds are capable of. I felt as if she truly glorified every individual in our world by writing this poem. As if she is saying to all those who feel unintelligent, all those who feel as if they lack creativity that you have been given a gift that can move mountains and part seas.” The Brain is just the weight of God” unlike the sea or sky and even space which has its limitations, by comparing the brain to the weight of God Emily Dickson compares our simple mass of grey matter to an astronomical number. Dickinson ode truly expresses how amazing we all are as individuals. Our minds are amazing they give each individual personality, creativity, and the ability to create and define our lives through our actions which wouldn’t be possible without a brain.

  20. Kathryn Chambers says:

    “The Brain — is wider than the Sky –” explains the philosophical interpretation of how the human mind really works. Emily Dickinson expresses her view of how the intelligence and imagination of the mind surpass all boundaries and encompass all things we view to be vast and unending.Using descriptions such as “The Brain is deeper than the sea–” Ms. Dickinson uses an aspect of nature usually viewed as inconceivably infinite and portrays it as something small compared to the immeasurable strength of mind power. She capitalizes words that are influential to the parallelisms between the brain and things such as, “the weight of God–”. Dickinson delves deep into the exact mystery of the human mind and its limitless boundaries.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Do you have any comments, criticism, paraphrasis or analysis of this poem that you feel would assist other visitors in understanding the meaning or the theme of this poem by Emily Dickinson better? If accepted, your analysis will be added to this page of American Poems. Together we can build a wealth of information, but it will take some discipline and determination.