Whether my bark went down at sea —
Whether she met with gales —
Whether to isles enchanted
She bent her docile sails —
By what mystic mooring
She is held today —
This is the errand of the eye
Out upon the Bay.
Whether my bark went down at sea
Analysis, meaning and summary of Emily Dickinson's poem Whether my bark went down at sea
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Not once but thrice Dickinson uses the lexical term whetherfull knowing the ambiguity embedded.On the ontological level meaning choice between alternatives.
On the theological and philosophical level she feels herself compelled to Doubt; “Enchanted isles, gales,mysticmoorings”.She believes universal schooling will help to curb our evil instincts, “This is the errand of the eye, out upon the bay”
Enhancing this concept I would say
Gravities
Doubt starts with beliefs
There must be more
Than we can see
Around or beyond
Inciting imaginations that spur
So much depends on knowing
Believing is another story
Doubting what we know (whether}
search for more than greets the eye
Shimon Weinroth