Search Works

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse for Manuscript Images by first line, date, recipient, or edition.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse alphabetically through more than 9,000 words in Dickinson’s poetry, as defined in the Emily Dickinson Lexicon, based in part on her dictionary, Webster's 1844 American Dictionary of the English Language.

Houghton Library - J824, Fr796

Page Order

About Image

Credits: Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Dickinson, Emily, 1830-1886. Poems: Loose sheets. The Wind begun to knead The Grass. MS Am 1118.3 (356). Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
Houghton Library - J824, Fr796
Publication History
Poems (1891), 158-59, from the retained copy (C), made composite with a reading from the copy to Higginson ([D]). Poems (1955), 624-25 (A principal, B summarized, C principal, [D] cited; without E), with the revision of line 14 adopted in C; also CP (1960), 399-401 (A, C). Higgins, American Literature, 38 (March 1966), 6-7 (C), as having been omitted from Poems (1955), and 8 (E). (J824). Franklin Variorum 1998 (F796B).
-History from Franklin Variorum 1998

Emily Dickinson Archive
http://www.edickinson.org
Copyright & Terms of Use:
CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
http://www.edickinson.org/terms

More Image Metadata

Image Metadata

Imported: 2013-10-21 13:02:23 -0400
Order: 1
Order Label: J824, Fr796
Label: J824, Fr796
Filename: ms_am_1118_3_356_0001

Download Image

Text

Edition Edit Work

F796B - The wind begun to rock the grass

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 Streets -
The Thunder 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 -

About Work

First Line/Title: The wind begun to rock the grass
Date: 1864
Recipient: Susan Dickinson
Edition: Franklin Variorum 1998
Number: F796B
Textual Notes: Division
1 begun |
1 the |
2 a |
3 a |
3 the |
4 at |
5 unhooked ||
6 all |
7 did |
7 like |
8 away |
9 quickened] quick - | ened
10 gossiped | low - ||
11 showed |
12 livid |
13 up |
14 flung |
15 one |
16 if |
16 Hands ||
17 the |
17 parted |
18 Wrecked |
19 overlooked |
20 Quartering |
Division
1 to |
3 full |
5 unhooked |
7 scoop |
8 the | Road - ||
9 Wagons |
10 gossiped |
11 showed |
13 up |
14 to |
15 one |
15 Rain ||
16 if |
17 Dams |
18 Wrecked |
19 my |
Revision
14 flung] canceled; fled interlined above
Division
1 Wind |
1 rock |
2 threatening |
3 threw |
3 at |
4 Menace |
5 Leaves | unhooked | themselves |
5 Trees - ||
6 started |
7 Dust |
7 scoop |
7 like |
8 throw |
9 Wagons |
9 on |
10 Thunder |
11 Lightning |
11 a |
11 Beak ||
12 a |
13 Birds |
13 the |
14 Cattle |
15 came |
15 of |
16 as |
17 held |
17 had |
17 hold ||
18 Waters |
18 the |
19 overlooked |
19 Father's |
20 quartering |
The Cattle fled to Barns -
Division
1 rock |
2 tunes |
3 the |
5 unhooked |
7 scoop |
8 Road. ||
9 on |
11 a |
13 the |
15 of |
16 Hands ||
17 had |
18 the |
19 Father's |
Emendation
1 begun] began
11 Lightning] Lightening
12 livid] Vivid
Division
1 begun |
2 threatening |
3 Menace |
4 the |
5 Leaves |
5 themselves |
6 started |
7 did |
7 like |
8 away |
9 Wagons |
9 the |
10 Thunder |
11 Lightning |
11 yellow |
12 a |
13 put |
13 Bars |
14 Cattle |
14 Barns - ||
15 one |
15 Giant |
16 as |
17 the |
17 had |
18 Waters |
19 overlooked |
20 quartering |

All Work Metadata
Download as TEI

Work Metadata

Manuscript: Five (one lost), variant, about 1864, 1866, 1873, and 1883. ed's revisions spanned nearly two decades, yielding five combinations of readings in as many fair copies. The earliest was sent to the Hollands, perhaps to Elizabeth, about 1864, signed "Emily" (a 814). Though the manuscript is not addressed, the poem is listed in the printer's copy for Letters (1894) as having been sent to the Hollands (y-mssa mlt68-17, 286). In late 1891 they lent their manuscripts to Mabel Todd, a few of them remaining in her possession thereafter.
Recipient: Susan Dickinson
Notes: About 1866 ed returned to her working draft and, with two changes, produced a copy in pencil for Susan Dickinson: a noun went from singular to plural, another from plural to singular. The manuscript is addressed "Sue" and signed "Emily" (h356).
Textual Notes: Division
1 begun |
1 the |
2 a |
3 a |
3 the |
4 at |
5 unhooked ||
6 all |
7 did |
7 like |
8 away |
9 quickened] quick - | ened
10 gossiped | low - ||
11 showed |
12 livid |
13 up |
14 flung |
15 one |
16 if |
16 Hands ||
17 the |
17 parted |
18 Wrecked |
19 overlooked |
20 Quartering |
Division
1 to |
3 full |
5 unhooked |
7 scoop |
8 the | Road - ||
9 Wagons |
10 gossiped |
11 showed |
13 up |
14 to |
15 one |
15 Rain ||
16 if |
17 Dams |
18 Wrecked |
19 my |
Revision
14 flung] canceled; fled interlined above
Division
1 Wind |
1 rock |
2 threatening |
3 threw |
3 at |
4 Menace |
5 Leaves | unhooked | themselves |
5 Trees - ||
6 started |
7 Dust |
7 scoop |
7 like |
8 throw |
9 Wagons |
9 on |
10 Thunder |
11 Lightning |
11 a |
11 Beak ||
12 a |
13 Birds |
13 the |
14 Cattle |
15 came |
15 of |
16 as |
17 held |
17 had |
17 hold ||
18 Waters |
18 the |
19 overlooked |
19 Father's |
20 quartering |
The Cattle fled to Barns -
Division
1 rock |
2 tunes |
3 the |
5 unhooked |
7 scoop |
8 Road. ||
9 on |
11 a |
13 the |
15 of |
16 Hands ||
17 had |
18 the |
19 Father's |
Emendation
1 begun] began
11 Lightning] Lightening
12 livid] Vivid
Division
1 begun |
2 threatening |
3 Menace |
4 the |
5 Leaves |
5 themselves |
6 started |
7 did |
7 like |
8 away |
9 Wagons |
9 the |
10 Thunder |
11 Lightning |
11 yellow |
12 a |
13 put |
13 Bars |
14 Cattle |
14 Barns - ||
15 one |
15 Giant |
16 as |
17 the |
17 had |
18 Waters |
19 overlooked |
20 quartering |
Publications: Poems (1891), 158-59, from the retained copy (C), made composite with a reading from the copy to Higginson ([D]). Poems (1955), 624-25 (A principal, B summarized, C principal, [D] cited; without E), with the revision of line 14 adopted in C; also CP (1960), 399-401 (A, C). Higgins, American Literature, 38 (March 1966), 6-7 (C), as having been omitted from Poems (1955), and 8 (E). (J824)

Hide Edits Physical Line Breaks

Related Works in This Edition

Please sign in to edit this transcription