How Happy is the Little Stone : Emily Dickinson's Nature Mysticism

Goose and Chick, Hudson River, low tide pebbles

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Circuit II - (13) How Happy is the Little Stone (J-1510) (F-1570)

Listen to the Restful Sounds of Stones Tossed on the Ground (wav, 360K)

⁽¹⁾ How happy is the little stone
That rambles in the road alone,
⁽²⁾ And doesn't care about careers
And exigencies never fears —
⁽³⁾ Whose coat of elemental brown
A passing universe put on;
⁽⁴⁾ And independent as the sun,
Associates or glows alone,
⁽⁵⁾ Fulfilling absolute decree
In casual simplicity.

^{(Below: an original manuscript version without
editing or
imposed lineation.} ⁽¹⁾ How happy is
the little Stone
That rambles
in the Road
alone,
⁽²⁾ And doesn't
care about
Careers
And Exigencies
never fears –
⁽³⁾ Whose Coat
of elemental Brown
A passing
Universe put on,
⁽⁴⁾ And independent
as the Sun
Associates
or glows alone,
⁽⁵⁾ Fulfilling absolute
Decree
In casual
simplicity –

~ Emily Dickinson

Slideshow ~ Pilgrimage!

Commentary adapted from Emily Dickinson's Poems & Letters

⁽¹⁾ "Little, wayfaring acts — comprise my 'pursuits' — and a few
moments at night, for books — after the rest sleep." ~ (L #450)

⁽¹⁾ "The Bible says very roguishly, that the 'wayfaring man, though
a fool — need not err therein.'" ~ (biblical ref. Isaiah 35:8) (L #562)

^(1-2) "Heart, not so heavy as mine wending late home — as it passed my
window whistled itself a tune — a careless snatch — a ballad — a ditty
of the street . . ." ~ (J-0083) (F-0088) (ref. whistling boy, L #562)

^(1-3) "I know but little of little ones, but love them very softly."
~ (L #728) (Biblical ref. Matthew 18:10)

^(1-3) "The tiniest ones are the mightiest — the wren will prevail."
~ (L #564) (Biblical ref. Matthew 5:5)

^(1-3) "Two things I have lost with Childhood — the rapture of losing
my shoe in the mud and going home barefoot . . ." (Fragment #117)

^(1-5) "Your riches taught me poverty. Myself a millionnaire."
~ (J-0299) (F-0418)

^(1-5) "It's such a common — glory — a fisherman's — degree."
~ (J-0401) (F-0675)

^(1-5) "Droughtless wells . . where mosses go no more away — and
pebble — safely plays." ~ (J-0460) (F-0695)

^(1-5) "On the bleakness of my lot, bloom I strove to raise — late,
my garden of a rock yielded grape and maize."
~ (omitted in J-0681) (F-0862)

⁽³⁾ "I am glad the housekeeping is kinder; it is a prickly art.
Maggie is with us still, warm and wild and mighty,
and we have a gracious boy at the barn." ~ (L #907)

^(4-5) "Lad of Athens, faithful be to thyself and mystery.
All the rest is perjury." ~ (J-1768) (F-1606) (L #865)

⁽⁵⁾ "Tabby is eating a stone dinner from a stone plate." ~ (L #337)

⁽⁵⁾ "Excuse the bleak simplicity that knew no tutor
but the North." ~ (L #368)

^{(1-5-comparative)}
"The grass so little has to do —
A sphere of simple green,
With only butterflies, to brood
And bees, to entertain —
* * *
And then, to dwell in sovereign barns,
And dream the days away,
The grass so little has to do,
I wish I were a hay!"
~ (J-0333: stanzas 1 & 5) (F-0379)

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Photo Credit: earlywomenmasters.net ~ Goose and Chick, Hudson River,
low tide, pebbles (see goslings slide show for larger view)