I Years had been from Home by Emily Dickinson (Poem)
“I Years had been from Home” is a poem about the fear of returning home after a long absence, and the apprehension the narrator feels before opening the door for the first time. The poem ends with the narrator fleeing “gasping” from the house. The reason for the flight is open to interpretation. Perhaps the narrator allowed their imagination to get the better of them, and succumbed to their fear. Then again, perhaps they found something or someone waiting for them. People who like to analyse poetry, have come up with various interpretations of “I Years had been from Home”, some of which may reflect more on the interpreter than the poem.
About Emily Dickinson
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet. Although she is now regarded as an important figure in Amercian poetry, her creative efforts were largely unknown during her lifetime. A prolific writer, she penned close to 1,800 poems. She only placed 10 of them with magazines. Unique for her era, these few published poems did not fit the poetic rules in place at the time and were often severely edited before publication.
Many of Dickinson’s poems, deal with death, spirituality, and immortality. Although some of her family and friends may have been aware of Dickinson’s writing endeavors, her poetry may have been somewhat of a guilty secret. After her Death, Dickinson’s sister, Lavina, discovered the hoard of poems, making them public. Sadly, the first Emily Dickson poetry collection was published in 1890—four years after her death.
I Years had been from Home
by Emily Dickinson
I Years had been from Home
And now before the Door
I dared not enter, lest a Face
I never saw before
Stare stolid into mine
And ask my Business there –
“My Business but a Life I left
Was such remaining there?”
I leaned opon the Awe –
I lingered with Before –
The Second like an Ocean rolled
And broke against my ear –
I laughed a crumbling Laugh
That I could fear a Door
Who Consternation compassed
And never winced before.
I fitted to the Latch
My Hand, with trembling care
Left back the awful Door should spring
And leave me in the Floor –
Then moved my Fingers off
As cautiously as Glass
And held my ears, and like a Thief
Fled gasping from the House –
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