I Know a Place where Summer Strives
The poem explores the idea of summer's vitality and its struggle to be acknowledged. It describes a place where summer's essence is palpable, but it is often overlooked in favor of more conventional notions of beauty. The speaker suggests that this place is not just a physical location, but also a state of mind.
By Emily Dickinson · First published 1859 · Genre: Poetry, Nature, Symbolism · 106 words
First lines
I know a place where summer strives With such a practised frost, She each year leads her daisies back, Recording briefly, "Lost."
But when the south wind stirs the pools And struggles in the lanes, Her heart misgives her for her vow, And she pours soft refrains
Into the lap of adamant, And spices, and the dew, That stiffens quietly to quartz, Upon her amber shoe.
What this Textopian page supports
I Know a Place where Summer Strives is listed on Textopian as a poem by Emily Dickinson, dated 1859 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Emily Dickinson
- Date: 1859 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Nature, Symbolism, Philosophical
- Length: 106 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for I Know a Place where Summer Strives by Emily Dickinson
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering I Know a Place where Summer Strives?
- How does this poem by Emily Dickinson fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Poetry first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Light Exists In Spring by Emily Dickinson
- My Cricket by Emily Dickinson
- April by Emily Dickinson
- Summer Shower by Emily Dickinson
- Autumnal Day by Ranier Maria Rilke
- Remembrance by Emily Dickinson
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, utilizing rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Nature — The poem explores themes of nature, focusing on the changing seasons and natural elements.
- Symbolism — The poem employs symbolic language to convey deeper meanings about nature and time.
- Philosophical — The poem reflects on existential themes, such as the passage of time and the cyclical nature of life.
Tags
Poetry · Nature · Summer · Seasonal · Imagery · Symbolism · Metaphor · Personification · Free Verse · American Literature · 19th Century · Feminist