Emily Dickinson

Angels in the early morning

Summary

The poem describes angels appearing during different times of the day. In the early morning, the angels are depicted among the dews, engaged in gentle activities such as stooping, plucking, smiling, and flying, leaving one to wonder if the fresh buds and blooms belong to them. As the day progresses and the sun reaches its peak, the scene shifts to a hotter setting where the angels are now among the sands, carrying out similar actions but with a sense of exhaustion, as indicated by their sighing. This change in mood suggests that the flowers they carry become parched under the intense sun, highlighting a contrast between the freshness of dawn and the harshness of midday. The imagery evokes themes of nature's beauty and fragility while contemplating the presence of divine beings in everyday life.

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Angels in the early morning
May be seen the dews among,
Stooping, plucking, smiling, flying:
Do the buds to them belong?

Angels when the sun is hottest
May be seen the sands among,
Stooping, plucking, sighing, flying;
Parched the flowers they bear along.

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