The Wind begun to knead the Grass-
As Women do a Dough-
He flung a Hand full at the Plain-
A Hand full at the Sky-
The Leaves unhooked themselves from Trees-
And started all abroad-
The Dust did scoop itself like Hands-
And throw away the Road-
The Wagons-quickened on the Street-
The Thunders gossiped low-
The Lightning showed a Yellow Head-
And then a livid Toe-
The Birds put up the Bars to Nests-
The Cattle flung to Barns-
Then came one drop of Giant Rain-
And then, as if the Hands
That held the Dams-had parted hold-
The Waters Wrecked the Sky-
But overlooked my Father’s House-
Just Quartering a Tree-
[second version]
The Wind begun to rock the Grass
With threatening Tunes and low-
He threw a Menace at the Earth-
A Menace at the Sky.
The Leaves unhooked themselves from Trees-
And started all abroad
The Dust did scoop itself like Hands
And threw away the Road.
The Wagons quickened on the Streets
The Thunder hurried slow-
The Lightning showed a Yellow Beak
And then a livid Claw.
The Birds put up the Bars to Nests-
The Cattle fled to Barns-
There came one drop of Giant Rain
And then as if the Hands
That held the Dams had parted hold
The Waters Wrecked the Sky,
But overlooked my Father’s House-
Just quartering a Tree-
(Emily Dickinson)
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Based on Topics: Nature Poems, Birds Poems, Woman PoemsBased on Keywords: knead, dams, unhooked, gossiped, quartering