A light exists in springAt any other period.
When March is scarcely here
A color stands abroad
On solitary hills
That science cannot overtake,
But human naturefeels.
It waits upon the lawn;
It shows the furthest tree
Upon the furthest slope we know;
It almost speaks to me.
Then, as horizons step,
Or noons report away,
Without the formula of sound,
It passes, and we stay:
A quality of loss
Affecting our content,
As trade had suddenly encroached
Upon a sacrament.
Analysis/ Comment
This poem explains how science needs to be part of the human perception in order to explain certain “truths” In a strict quatrain series, with few exceptions, in an iambic triameter. This is because some times, it is enough to have faith, like in religion. Although not in every stanza the rhyme scheme is exact, the whole poem still carries an ABCB rhyme scheme. Unlike her usual poems, this one does not include dashes, it has complete, clear sentences, plus, it’s heavily rhythmic with a regular meter.
The “Light” which is capitalized, is actually referring to Jesus Christ, a nd spring Easter, although when March is mentioned, the light loses the allusion the Light’s also an allusion to Moses in the book of Exodus; all this is trying to show that God, apart from being what he created, he’s also the idea of the universal truth (which is not verifiable). It’s just an issue of believing and feeling, NOT of proving with scientific methods. In the last 2 stanzas, how the poet describing time, displays how its progress represents the “Light’s” presence. Also, the loss of light stated in the 3rd verse of the last stanza, is another allusion to the Bible (when Jesus got angry seeing the temple becoming a market). Last but least, another important point of this poem is how nature can gain one’s spiritual understanding; even though it is not scientifically verifiable, it doesn’t make the “Light” less valuable.
Links
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1226587/a_review_of_emily_dickinsons_a_light.html?page=3&cat=38
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