So Bashful When I Spied Her, Emily Dickinson: Summary & Analysis

In "SO BASHFUL WHEN I SPIED HER!" Emily Dickinson explores themes of shyness, secrecy, and the complex emotions associated with encountering something delicate and precious. The poem delves into the speaker's observations and interactions with a shy and hidden subject, and the ensuing emotions that arise from this encounter. SO BASHFUL WHEN I SPIED HER! So bashful when I spied her, So pretty, so ashamed ! So hidden in her leaflets, Lest anybody find ; So breathless till I passed her, So helpless when I turned And bore her, struggling, blushing, Her simple haunts beyond ! For whom I robbed the dingle, For whom betrayed the dell, Many will doubtless ask me, But I shall never tell ! Summary "SO BASHFUL WHEN I SPIED HER!" depicts the speaker's encounter with a delicate and bashful subject, possibly a flower or a symbol of innocence. The subject is portrayed as shy and hidden, as if seeking to avoid notice. The speaker observes the subject's delicate appearanc…