A feather from the Whippoorwill
That everlasting—sings!
Whose galleries—are Sunrise—
Whose Opera—the Springs—
Whose Emerald Nest the Ages spin
Of mellow—murmuring thread—
Whose Beryl Egg, what Schoolboys hunt
In “Recess”—Overhead!
A feather from the Whippoorwill
Summary
A Feather from the Whippoorwill is a compact poem that turns a single bird's song into a riddle of sunrise galleries and spring operas. Emily Dickinson piles up gleaming images: an emerald nest spun by the Ages from mellow, murmuring thread, and a beryl egg that schoolboys hunt during recess, high overhead. The speaker never names the singer outright, so the reader is invited to guess, wonder, and look skyward. Each line adds another jewel to the puzzle.
Read Online
