"The Red -- Blaze -- Is the Morning"The Red -- Blaze -- is the Morning --

The Violet -- is Noon --
The Yellow -- Day -- is falling --
And after that -- is none --

But Miles of Sparks -- at Evening --
Reveal the Width that burned --
The Territory Argent -- that
Never yet -- consumed --

Analysis/Comment

This poem briefly describes the course of a day. Simply illustrating using metaphors and a lot of adjectives, could make it seem just descriptive. But the colors mentioned are fundamental elements that help compare and give significance to each time of the day. For instance, “Morning” is symbolized by the strong color red. This is because, during dawn, the color of the sky is usually red or dark pink. Noon is represented by the color violet because this is when the sun’s rays are the strongest. “Day” is symbolized by the color yellow because of the sun. “None” is referring to the darkness or the night. In the second stanza, “Miles of sparks at Evening” (Line 5) refers to the stars; miles of stars during the evening show the vastness that illuminates the Earth with its brightness that never (yet) turns off.

*Emily Dickinson uses dashes to express infinity.

Besides only describing thoroughly and colorfully about the times of the day, the poet actually focuses more on the evening than on any other time of the day. In fact, Emily Dickinson dedicated a whole stanza to write about the night; in general, the poet uses morning and noon to describe the happy and exciting events of her life, although there are much more sad events present in her life that make Emily Dickinson feel lonely (darkness). These events are thankfully illuminated by other little events that then help lighten up the poet’s spirit like the stars that shine at night.