poems from dickinson to thomas niles


The Wind begun to knead the Grass-
As Women do a Dough-
He flung a Hand full at the Plain-
A Hand full at the Sky-
The Leaves unhooked themselves from
And started all abroad-
The Dust did scoop itself like Hands-
And throw away the Road-
The Wagons quickened on the Street-
The Thunders gossiped low-
The Lightning showed a Yellow Head-
And then a livid Toe-
The Birds put up the Bars to Nests-
The Cattle flung to Bams-
Then came one drop of Giant Rain-
And then, as if the Hands
That held the Dams - had parted hold -
The Waters Wrecked the Sky-
But overlooked my Father's House-
Just Quartering a Tree-

          first version


The Wind begun to rock the Grass
With threatening Tunes and low-
He threw a Menace at the Earth-
A Menace at the Sky.

The Leaves unhooked themselves from Trees-
And started all abroad
The Dust did scoop itself like Hands
And threw away the Road.

The Wagons quickened on the Streets
The Thunder hurried slow-
The Lightning showed a Yellow Beak
And then a livid Claw.

The Birds put up the Bars to Nests-
The Cattle fled to Barns-
There came one drop of Giant Rain
And then as if the Hands

That held the Dams had parted hold
The Waters Wrecked the Sky,
But overlooked my Father's House-
Just quartering a Tree

          second version


thomas johnson's note on poem 824 | index to dickinson/niles poems

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Commentary copyright 1998 by Martha Nell Smith, all rights reserved
Maintained by Lara Vetter <lv26@umail.umd.edu>
Last updated on January 12, 1999