Question

plz help! emily's "I dwell in Possibility" and interpreting dashes

Answer 1

I dwell in Possibility –
A fairer House than Prose –
More numerous of Windows –
Superior – for Doors –

Of Chambers as the Cedars –
Impregnable of eye –
And for an everlasting Roof
The Gambrels of the Sky –

Of Visitors – the fairest –
For Occupation – \(\textbf{This}\) –
The spreading wide my narrow Hands
To gather Paradise –

Answer 2

in that line, what she mean to say by "\(\textbf{- This -}\)" ?

she means to say that her occupation is :

"spreading wide her hands and gathering paradise"

or

"writing poetry, which implies whatever she is doing right now"

which one ?

Answer 3

hm... i want to say that its your first option.... but writing poetry can be her way of gathering paradise... i may just be overthinking this (: which one are you leaning towards?

Answer 4

first option only but i dont understand the abrupt capitalization for This :\

Answer 5

probably just for emphasis..

Answer 6

i guess so. still i lean towards first option only but still i feel if she wants us to follow to next line to knw about her occupation, she could have simply said ,
for occupation - this -

or

for occupation - this :

hmm

Answer 7

hmm... now you have me stumped. (x

Answer 8

oh well now i see every starting letter of word in that line is capitalized !

Answer 9

oh! lol! i didnt catch that! um.. but its bold.

Answer 10

so its not just for This. lol this removes some ambiguity i guess,

Answer 11

i made it bold ;p

Answer 12

oh ok, hm well then i would go with your gut(:

Answer 13

okay, thank you !!

Answer 14

ok np i think your right

Answer 15

pls add if u think anymore cuz u see it wid fresh eyes, it helps me

Answer 16

haha well in all honesty im pretty tired (x but if i think of anything else. Um but i do think that her using the metaphor of paradise is writing poetry.

Answer 17

oh yes i thought the same... thanks again :)

Answer 18

de nada(; (your welcome) haha

Answer 19

i think i get your first reply nw.

if "Paradise" is a metaphor for 'writing poetry', then -This- can standalone there aswell.

1) "-This-" can hint 'current work' shez doing, which is writing poetry.
2) paradise also refers to writing poetry itself.

such a nice interpretation(yours) thank you :)) took me a while to grasp :( !!