tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post9117370557669812341..comments2024-03-28T11:04:36.401-07:00Comments on the prowling Bee: Sunset at Night – is natural –Susan Kornfeldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-14974097367768953492023-08-22T15:50:59.912-07:002023-08-22T15:50:59.912-07:00“Has Master done something so out of character tha...“Has Master done something so out of character that it is as if an eclipse came out of nowhere?”<br /><br />Perhaps not “out of character” but certainly unexpected and painful to the poet. After ED had spent seven years (‘ Rearrange a "Wife's" Affection!’, F267) building a romantic relationship with Master, at least in her imagination but likely not in his, Wadsworth decided to resign his Philadelphia pastorship for one in far-away San Francisco. <br /><br />He and his family departed New York May 1, 1862, probably at dawn, “Sunset on the Dawn/Reverses Nature”. Franklin dates ED’s neatly written fascicle copy of this poem, ‘Sunset at Night – is natural –’ (F427) autumn 1862, which suggests she composed it soon after his early May departure. She expects to never see him again and knows her midnight of despair will follow dawn’s “sunset”.<br /><br />Had she known from the start that he would leave her after seven years, she could have steeled herself, but for him to leave “suddenly” suggests "God's [not] in his heaven—/All's [not] right with the world!" (Apologies to Robert Browning, 1841, ‘Pippa Passes’).<br />Larry Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-22077887103517391642015-03-04T05:25:29.055-08:002015-03-04T05:25:29.055-08:00This unexpected reminds me of what Robert Frost sa...This unexpected reminds me of what Robert Frost said about writing poetry, one of the many things: (paraphrased) what's the use of writing a poem if you know where you're going to end up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-29686623538178019512014-04-21T08:45:00.475-07:002014-04-21T08:45:00.475-07:00Wonderful insight that the word 'Master' i...Wonderful insight that the word 'Master' is key. I think Dickinson's love for the Master has disordered her personal universe. I think it's lovely that you are commenting on all her poems. I will follow this since I am reading a poem a day and usually mystified. Riverwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03302739221107883656noreply@blogger.com