The Court is far
away –
No Umpire – have
I –
My Sovereign is
offended –
To gain his
grace – I’d die!
I’ll seek his
royal feet –
I’ll say –
Remember – King –
Thou shalt –
thyself – one day – a Child –
Implore a larger – thing –
That Empire – is of Czars –
As small – they say
– as I –
Grant me – that day – the royalty –
To intercede – for Thee –
Fr250
(1861) J235
This little poem
tries to wheedle a reconciliation to some “Sovereign” whom the narrator has
offended. It is probably a love interest for she would give her life in order
to regain his “grace” or esteem. This is probably a bit of high-flung hyperbole
and so establishes a light teasing tone to the poem. The central metaphor is
of a humble subject appealing to her
king.
The
speaker’s strategy for reinstating herself into her king’s good graces depend
on her making a good argument. The king and his court are “far away” so this
seeking of “royal feet” will probably
have to wait. Nor does the supplicant have anyone to umpire or intercede
for her. But she has the postal service! She could mail her argument to him – or this
poem!
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Seeking his royal pointy feet |
She
plans an argument for leniency rather than offering an apology. Her argument is
that one day this king will himself have to present himself as a child to the
gates of heaven and ask to be admitted. That’s the “larger – thing” that he must “Implore.” She
refers to the saints and heavenly hosts as “Czars” for they are, by lights of
this poem and other poems Dickinson wrote, greater than any mere mortal. Just
as the king must hope for acceptance, so he should grant the poet’s plea for
grace.
The
last part of the argument stipulates that heavenly Czars are “As small – they
say – as I.” That is probably a reference to Jesus’ claim in the Beatitudes
(Matthew 3-12) that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor in spirit and
that the meek will inherit the earth. Dickinson, who referred to herself as
small and meek, is arguing that these Czars will listen to her intercession.
This might help out the King when he needs it most!
The
poet, then, is asking two be granted two things: to be reinstated in the good
graces of her offended Sovereign and to be granted the royal privilege of
interceding for him when he faces his maker. It’s a clever little argument and
I have no doubt that any offence the poet may have caused was smoothed over by
this poem.
As I am now in my twilight years, I wish I had known this poem when I were younger, for there were many a sovereigns I offended along the way that these words may have smoothed over.
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