“A Wounded Deer—leaps highest— ” — Emily Dickinson

A poem by Emily Dickinson:

A Wounded Deer—leaps highest—
I’ve heard the Hunter tell—
‘Tis but the Ecstasy of death
And then the Brake is still!

The Smitten Rock that gushes!
The trampled Steel that springs!
A Cheek is always redder
Just where the Hectic stings!

Mirth is the Mail of Anguish
In which it Cautious Arm,
Lest anybody spy the blood
And “you’re hurt” exclaim!

2 thoughts on ““A Wounded Deer—leaps highest— ” — Emily Dickinson”

  1. Reblogged this on Attempts and Endeavours and commented:
    It was not death, for I stood up,
    And all the dead lie down.
    It was not night, for all the bells
    Put out their tongues for noon.

    It was not frost, for on my flesh
    I felt siroccos crawl,
    Nor fire, for just my marble feet
    Could keep a chancel cool.

    And yet it tasted like them all,
    The figures I have seen
    Set orderly for burial
    Reminded me of mine,

    As if my life were shaven
    And fitted to a frame
    And could not breathe without a key,
    And ’twas like midnight, some,

    When everything that ticked has stopped
    And space stares all around,
    Or grisly frosts, first autumn morns,
    Repeal the beating ground;

    But most like chaos, stopless, cool,
    Without a chance, or spar,
    Or even a report of land
    To justify despair.
    This was first English poem I’ve ever read in my life, Emily Dickinson was the first foreign poet I happened to know, she reminds me of الخنساء (Arabic poet)…

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  2. She is such a classic poet. And “Mean Mohammed” I’d never read that poem by her, thanks for your addition!

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