A Narrow Fellow in the Grass : Emily Dickinson's Nature Mysticism

Copperhead Snake, Agkistrodon contortrix

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Circuit II - (12) A Narrow Fellow in the Grass (J-0986) (F-1096)

⁽¹⁾ A narrow fellow in the grass
Occasionally rides;
⁽²⁾ You may have met him — did you not
His notice sudden is.

⁽³⁾ The grass divides as with a comb,
A spotted shaft is seen;
⁽⁴⁾ And then it closes at your feet
And opens further on.

⁽⁵⁾ He likes a boggy acre,
A floor too cool for corn.
⁽⁶⁾ Yet when a boy, and barefoot,
I more than once, at noon,

⁽⁷⁾ Have passed, I thought, a whip-lash
Unbraiding in the sun
⁽⁸⁾ When stooping to secure it,
It wrinkled, and was gone.

⁽⁹⁾ Several of nature's people
I know, and they know me —
⁽¹⁰⁾ I feel for them a transport
Of cordiality;

⁽¹¹⁾ But never met this fellow,
Attended or alone,
⁽¹²⁾ Without a tighter breathing,
And zero at the bone. ^{(Below: without editing or imposed lineation,
the original manuscript version for one of several

variations dickinson wrote for this poem.}

⁽¹⁾ A narrow Fellow
in the Grass
Occasionally rides –
⁽²⁾ You may have
met Him?
Did you not
His notice instant is –

⁽³⁾ The Grass divides
as with a Comb –
A spotted Shaft
is seen,
⁽⁴⁾ And then it closes
at your feet
And opens
further on –

⁽⁵⁾ He likes a
Boggy Acre –
A Floor too
cool for Corn –
Yet when a
⁽⁶⁾ Boy and Barefoot
I more than
once at Noon

⁽⁷⁾ Have passed,
I thought, a
Whip Lash
Unbraiding in the
Sun
⁽⁸⁾ When stooping
to secure it
It wrinkled
And was gone –

⁽⁹⁾ Several of
Nature's People
I know, and they
know me –
⁽¹⁰⁾ I feel for
them a transport
Of cordiality –

⁽¹¹⁾ But never met
this Fellow
Attended, or
alone
⁽¹²⁾ Without a
tighter breathing
And Zero at
the Bone –

~ Emily Dickinson

Slideshow ~ Presence!

Commentary adapted from Emily Dickinson's Poems & Letters

^{(1-2 comparative)} "I think you would like the chestnut tree, I met
in my walk. It hit my notice suddenly — and I thought
the skies were in blossom." ~ (L #282)

^(1-8) "When much in the woods as a little girl, I was told that the snake
would bite me, that I might pick a poisonous flower, or goblins kidnap me,
but I went along and met no one but angels." ~ (L #271)

^{(1-12 comparative)} "There came a wind like a bugle — it quivered
through the grass and a green chill upon the heat
so ominous did pass." ~ (J-1585) (F-1638)

⁽²⁾ "Are you too deeply occupied to say if my verse is alive?
Should you think it breathed — and had you the leisure to tell me,
I should feel quick gratitude —" ~ (L #260)

^(3-4) "A snake bite is a serious matter, and there can't be too much said,
or done about it . . . I love those little green ones that slide
around by your shoes in the grass - and make it rustle with their
elbows - they are rather my favorites on the whole." (L #31)

^{(7-8 comparative)} "A bird sat careless on the fence — one gossipped in the
lane — on silver matters charmed a snake just winding round a stone."
(J-0606) (F-0523)

^{(8) (mushroom riddle)} "As if it tarried always — and yet its whole career
is shorter than a snake's delay and fleeter than a tare."
~ (J-1298) (F-1350)

^(8-10) "You said 'dark.' I know the butterfly — and the lizard — and
the orchis. Are not those your Countrymen?" ~ (L #268)

^(9-12) Sweet is the swamp with its secrets, until we meet a snake; 'tis then
we sigh for houses, and our departure take." ~ (J-1740) (F-1780)

⁽¹⁰⁾ "Transport is not urged —" ~ (L #368)

^(10-12) "Space is as the Presence." ~ (L #378)

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Photo Credit: USFWS ~ Copperhead Snake (Agkistrodon
contortrix), native to Massachusetts