The Brain Within It’s Groove, by Emily Dickinson

The Brain Within It’s Groove

The brain within its groove

Runs evenly and true;

But let a splinter swerve,

‘T were easier for you

To put the water back

When floods have slit the hills,

And scooped a turnpike for themselves,

And blotted out the mills!

A little Dog that wags his tail And knows no other joy Of such a little Dog am I Reminded by a Boy Who gambols all the living Day

There is no frigate like a book To take us lands away, Nor any coursers like a page Of prancing poetry. This traverse may the poorest take

960 As plan for Noon and plan for Nig… So differ Life and Death In positive Prospective— The Foot upon the Earth

355 ’Tis Opposites—entice— Deformed Men—ponder Grace— Bright fires—the Blanketless— The Lost—Day’s face—

814 One Day is there of the Series Termed Thanksgiving Day. Celebrated part at Table Part in Memory.

807 Expectation—is Contentment— Gain—Satiety— But Satiety—Conviction Of Necessity

Pain has an element of blank; It cannot recollect When it began, or if there were A day when it was not. It has no future but itself,

A Wind that rose Though not a Leaf In any Forest stirred But with itself did cold engage Beyond the Realm of Bird -

56 If I should cease to bring a Rose Upon a festal day, ‘Twill be because beyond the Rose I have been called away—

822 This Consciousness that is aware Of Neighbors and the Sun Will be the one aware of Death And that itself alone

273 He put the Belt around my life I heard the Buckle snap— And turned away, imperial, My Lifetime folding up—

890 From Us She wandered now a Year, Her tarrying, unknown, If Wilderness prevent her feet Or that Ethereal Zone

206 The Flower must not blame the Bee… That seeketh his felicity Too often at her door— But teach the Footman from Vevay—

580 I gave myself to Him— And took Himself, for Pay, The solemn contract of a Life Was ratified, this way—

904 Had I not This, or This, I said, Appealing to Myself, In moment of prosperity— Inadequate—were Life—