Summary Poem Analysis of 'My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun' by Emily Dickinson
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Course
Poetry
Institution
CIE
Here’s a full analysis of the poem ‘My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun -’ by Emily Dickinson, tailored towards A-Level students but also suitable for those studying at a higher level. Enjoy and feel free to leave feedback if you found it useful!
Includes:
POEM
VOCABULARY
STORY / SUMMARY...
My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun -
Emily Dickinson
My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun -
In Corners - till a Day
The Owner passed - identified -
And carried Me away -
And now We roam in Sovreign Woods -
And now We hunt the Doe -
And every time I speak for Him
The Mountains straight reply -
And do I smile, such cordial light
Opon the Valley glow -
It is as a Vesuvian face
Had let it’s pleasure through -
And when at Night - Our good Day done -
I guard My Master’s Head -
’Tis better than the Eider Duck’s
Deep Pillow - to have shared -
To foe of His - I’m deadly foe -
None stir the second time -
On whom I lay a Yellow Eye -
Or an emphatic Thumb -
Though I than He - may longer live
He longer must - than I -
For I have but the power to kill,
Without - the power to die -
, VOCABULARY
Sovereign - belonging or relating to the king or queen
Cordial - friendly
Vesuvian - relating to Mt Vesuvius, a volcano in Italy
Eider Duck - a type of duck whose feathers are used to make pillows
Foe - enemy
Stir - move or get up
Emphatic - doing something intensely, deliberately - for emphasis
STORY/SUMMARY
Stanza 1: My life, a loaded gun, had stood in corners, until one day the owner passed
by, identified me and carried me away.
Stanza 2: And now we go out together in the King’s woods, and now we hunt the
deer - and every time I speak for him the mountains reply by ricocheting the sound I
make back at me -
Stanza 3: And I smile such a pleasant, friendly light that glows upon the valley - It is
as if a volcano’s face had let its pleasure through.
Stanza 4: And when at night - after our good day is done - I guard my master’s head
- it is even better than if I had slept beside him and shared his feather pillow.
Stanza 5: To enemies of his - I’m a deadly enemy - no one moves a second time after
I’ve laid my yellow eye or my deadly thumb on them (I see them in my gun sights and
pull the trigger).
Stanza 6: Though I may live longer than my owner, he must actually live longer than
me - because I have only the power to kill, without the power to die.
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