When I Count the Seeds, Emily Dickinson: Summary & Analysis
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"When I Count the Seeds" by Emily Dickinson delves into themes of faith, mortality, and the cyclical nature of life. Through a contemplative tone, the poem explores the act of counting seeds as a metaphor for contemplating life's transient nature and the significance of faith. The poem invites readers to consider the impermanence of life and the role of belief in facing mortality. When I Count the Seeds
When I count the seeds
That are sown beneath,
To bloom so, bye and bye —
When I con the people
Lain so low,
To be received as high —
When I believe the garden
Mortal shall not see —
Pick by faith its blossom
And avoid its Bee,
I can spare this summer, unreluctantly.
Summary "When I Count the Seeds" reflects on the act of counting seeds and draws parallels between the seeds' growth and the human experience. The poem contemplates the inevitable cycle of life and death, the value of faith, and the acceptance of mortality. The speaker juxtaposes the act of counti…