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[christine]

Poem Text of Four Trees -- upon a solitary Acre by Emily Dickinson

Four Trees -- upon a solitary Acre --
Without Design
Or Order, or Apparent Action --
Maintain --

The Sun -- upon a Morning meets them --
The Wind --
No nearer Neighbor -- have they --
But God --

The Acre gives them -- Place --
They -- Him -- Attention of Passer by --
Of Shadow, or of Squirrel, haply --
Or Boy --

What Deed is Theirs unto the General Nature --
What Plan
They severally -- retard -- or further --
Unknown --


Chinese Translation

四株樹 -- 站在孤寂之地 --
沒有設計
或秩序，或明顯作用 --
只是維持 --

太陽 -- 在清晨與它們碰面 --
風也是 --
除了上帝--
它們沒有近鄰

這塊地給它們 --立足之地 --
它們給這塊地 --
陰影，或松鼠，偶而或男孩
這些過客的注意 --

在自然中扮演何種角色 --
何種計劃 --
它們是妨礙 -- 或增進 --
一切都是不可知 --　


Thematic Review

One of the main reasons I love to read Emily Dickinson’s poetry is that she constantly invents a new poetic language to raise questions and not to answer them. The beauty of her poetic work lies within the sense of mystery that it creates. In her Four Trees -- upon a solitary Acre, Dickinson challenges the widespread belief, promoted by her friend, Edward Hitchcock, and many others, in a benevolent God as manifested in its creation that reveals "divine design and divine governance" and "a superintending Providence" in the functioning of the world. In her poem, the trees are “Without Design / Or Order, or Apparent Action --.“ God is merely a neighbour, and the trees are the entity that spreads benevolence “haply.”

The first two stanzas concern four trees, standing " -- upon a solitary Acre -- " and meeting “The Sun” and “The Wind.” They have no neighbours except God, and they have no "Design / Or Order, or Apparent Action -- ." So what is their purpose there? The concluding word of the first stanza -- “Maintain” -- does not give a convincing answer, but it shows something mystic about their presence. For the transitive verb "maintain" is supposed to have a direct object. By treating "Maintain" as an intransitive verb, Dickinson seems to suggest that the trees are lordly, sufficient unto themselves in their own continuing existence.

In the third stanza, she personifies the trees and the acre by suggesting that there might be a sort of reciprocal relationship between them: it gives them " Place, " and they give it “Attention of Passer by.“ However, in the last stanza, she sincerely asks questions about the purpose of their presence, such as: what is their contribution to "the General Nature?" do they reflect some "Plan?"

Throughout the poem, Dickinsonian poetic language gives these four trees a significance that cannot be explained away by rationality. It is imminent, but not available. Their presence reveals a sense of mystery, compelling the reader to ask what the purpose of their presence is. This poem derives meaning from questioning the widespread belief in a benevolent God who actively designs and governs the world. Therefore, it implicitly opens up a religious theme to discussion.

[[christine]]

Poem Text of Four Trees -- upon a solitary Acre by Emily Dickinson

Four Trees -- upon a solitary Acre --
Without Design
Or Order, or Apparent Action --
Maintain --

The Sun -- upon a Morning meets them --
The Wind --
No nearer Neighbor -- have they --
But God --

The Acre gives them -- Place --
They -- Him -- Attention of Passer by --
Of Shadow, or of Squirrel, haply --
Or Boy --

What Deed is Theirs unto the General Nature --
What Plan
They severally -- retard -- or further --
Unknown --


Chinese Translation

四株樹 -- 站在孤寂之地 --
沒有設計
或秩序，或明顯作用 --
只是維持 --

太陽 -- 在清晨與它們碰面 --
風也是 --
除了上帝--
它們沒有近鄰

這塊地給它們 --立足之地 --
它們給這塊地 --
陰影，或松鼠，偶而或男孩
這些過客的注意 --

在自然中扮演何種角色 --
何種計劃 --
它們是妨礙 -- 或增進 --
一切都是不可知 --　


Thematic Review

One of the main reasons I love to read Emily Dickinson’s poetry is that she constantly invents a new poetic language to raise questions and not to answer them. The beauty of her poetic work lies within the sense of mystery that it creates. In her Four Trees -- upon a solitary Acre, Dickinson challenges the widespread belief, promoted by her friend, Edward Hitchcock, and many others, in a benevolent God as manifested in its creation that reveals "divine design and divine governance" and "a superintending Providence" in the functioning of the world. In her poem, the trees are “Without Design / Or Order, or Apparent Action --.“ God is merely a neighbour, and the trees are the entity that spreads benevolence “haply.”

The first two stanzas concern four trees, standing " -- upon a solitary Acre -- " and meeting “The Sun” and “The Wind.” They have no neighbours except God, and they have no "Design / Or Order, or Apparent Action -- ." So what is their purpose there? The concluding word of the first stanza -- “Maintain” -- does not give a convincing answer, but it shows something mystic about their presence. For the transitive verb "maintain" is supposed to have a direct object. By treating "Maintain" as an intransitive verb, Dickinson seems to suggest that the trees are lordly, sufficient unto themselves in their own continuing existence.

In the third stanza, she personifies the trees and the acre by suggesting that there might be a sort of reciprocal relationship between them: it gives them " Place, " and they give it “Attention of Passer by.“ However, in the last stanza, she sincerely asks questions about the purpose of their presence, such as: what is their contribution to "the General Nature?" do they reflect some "Plan?"

Throughout the poem, Dickinsonian poetic language gives these four trees a significance that cannot be explained away by rationality. It is imminent, but not available. Their presence reveals a sense of mystery, compelling the reader to ask what the purpose of their presence is. This poem derives meaning from questioning the widespread belief in a benevolent God who actively designs and governs the world. Therefore, it implicitly opens up a religious theme to discussion.

[christine]

Emily Dickinson’s friend, Edward Hitchcock, put his devout belief in the Bridgewater Treatises' theme that geology and mineralogy demonstrate the "Power and Goodness of God, as manifested in the creation," and that this power, wisdom, and goodness also show "divine design and divine governance" and "a superintending Providence" in the functioning of the world. As Hitchcock said in his own essay entitled Connection Between Geology and Revealed Religion, "The Deity has always exercised over the globe a superintending Providence"(284), and the Deity, to secure the "stability and happiness of the universe" (289), pursues a "wise and benevolent design" (289).

[[christine]]

Emily Dickinson’s friend, Edward Hitchcock, put his devout belief in the Bridgewater Treatises' theme that geology and mineralogy demonstrate the "Power and Goodness of God, as manifested in the creation," and that this power, wisdom, and goodness also show "divine design and divine governance" and "a superintending Providence" in the functioning of the world. As Hitchcock said in his own essay entitled Connection Between Geology and Revealed Religion, "The Deity has always exercised over the globe a superintending Providence"(284), and the Deity, to secure the "stability and happiness of the universe" (289), pursues a "wise and benevolent design" (289).

[anna]

Emily chose to be herself and kept remote from any religion. It was hard for her to balance her life even she showed great courage in her poetry.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[[星子安娜]]

Emily chose to be herself and kept remote from any religion. It was hard for her to balance her life even she showed great courage in her poetry.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

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[christine]

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[christine]

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[christine]

I've revised my piece, especially the concluding paragraph.

[[christine]]

I've revised my piece, especially the concluding paragraph.