If you were coming in the fall
If you were coming in the fall,
I'd brush the summer by
With half a smile and half a spurn,
As housewives do a fly.
If I could see you in a year,
I'd wind the months in balls,
And put them each in separate drawers,
Until their time befalls.
If only centuries delayed,
I'd count them on my hand,
Subtracting till my fingers dropped
Into Van Diemen's land.
If certain, when this life was out,
That yours and mine should be,
I'd toss it yonder like a rind,
And taste eternity.
But now, all ignorant of the length
Of time's uncertain wing,
It goads me, like the goblin bee,
That will not state its sting.
Commentary
While going over the Dickinson poems in the Minstrels archive I found this one missing… it’s one of my favorites from all of her works, I guess mostly for its simple expression of undying, though unrequited, love.
Compared to most of her works, this poem is quite simply written, easy to understand and easy to appreciate. I think it especially beautiful for how effortlessly and effectively it captures the sands of time: “.. wind the months in balls”, “If only centuries delayed, I’d count them on my hand”. This tone of hope of the poem undergoes a change to one of despair in the key (last) stanza, where the agony that remained successfully hidden in the rest of the poem is finally expressed.
The style spelt out Dickinson to me, but I couldn’t think of anything to say on that. I thought it would be nice to see this on the mailing list. Dickinson doesn’t seem to be too popular there and I think that’s a shame, for of the roughly 1800 poems that she did write, there are a few that I feel are worth a read still, to say the very least… I thought the above was one. And I remember when we did Dickinson’s works in High School, this one was introduced to us as one of her best few and it was fun explicating it!
— Neha
PS. Van Diemen’s Land - now Tasmania.
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From the Wondering Minstrels mailing list, 1999–2008.
Julian Tepper · 27 August 2000
Second, for those of you who tuned in “My Music” this morning, and listened to the very end, you heard a beautiful rendition of one of last week’s poems, “The Lost Chord,” as, previously mentioned, put to music by Arthur Sullivan.
JT
Jeff LaBombard · 13 June 2001
I came to this page hoping to find out the reference to Van Dieman’s Land (though not really expecting to). Thanks for the note. Though the poem is about unrequited love, it is still a beautiful love poem, and I’m reading it in a wedding this weekend. -Candice White
KjeldoranMage · 5 March 2002
Did anyone notice Dickenson’s reference to Van Diemen’s Land was actually a riddle?? What I mean is that Dickenson says that “If only centuries delayed, I’d count them on my hand, Subtracting till my fingers dropped, Into Van Diemen’s land,” meaning that as her fingers dropped they went under (Van Diemen’s Land is in Australia, or down under). She uses a play on words and not many people noticed it.
Dianna Ionescu · 10 July 2002
I think that the poem may have a dual meaning– it could be about unrequited love OR about two lovers, separated, who are uncertain of the next time when they will be able to meet each other. That is the meaning that it holds for me, but of course everyone can interpret it depending on their state of mind and situation.
-x- di
“You live in fear of not being misunderstood.”–Mandy Slade, The Velvet Goldmine
SarahSherby2005 · 11 November 2003
Hi! I was wondering if you could explain the riddle in Emily Dickenson’s “If you were coming in Fall” to me? I don’t quiet understand.
do you know why the goblin bee is a pun?
thanks!
Kicknbass34 · 22 February 2004
I am trying to interpret Emily Dickinson’s poem “If you were coming in the Fall” for an English assignment. I am totally lost. Can you help me with this interpretation or can you refer me to another website for this help
Kevin Ketner
Diana Susa · 18 May 2004
my interpretation of this poem for my highschool class breaks it down stanza by stanza, hopefully this can help.
Stanza 1 - the reference to a house fly being brushed away is compared to the fashion in which Dickinson will get rid of the seasons between her and her lover.
Stanza 2 - She references that if her lover would be with her in a year, she would wind up the months that separated them so they could be together.
Stanza 3 - The Van Dieman land reference ( as stated above) is now Tasmania, and Dickinson acts in a childish way as she counts her fingers away.
Stanza 4 - Dickinson’s typical death references come forward.She states that it when she died she could be with her lover, she would take her own life and live in eternity.
Stanza 5 - The last stanza, though confusing, I took to mean that the worst time frame of all is the not knowing. She says that it is a thorn in her side to not know when they will be together again and if she only knew she could make the time pass.
Diana Susa · 21 May 2004
PLEASE!!! delete the name DIan Susa from your website, and only list my e - mail address instead.
Shellpoohlewis · 9 June 2004
Interpet Emily Dickinson poem “if you where coming in the fall. nice poem. appears to be a love that is unshakeable
Amazinapewoman · 21 February 2005
I am doing a presentation on “If you were coming in the Fall” and I please need some help analizing it. Like…I have to tell poetic style, the meaning, literary terms relevant to the poem, and how this poem is a part of dickinson’s contribution to literature……..so please…..HELP!!! ~A.W.
Haresh Jani · 16 January 2008
ok ok so this is NOT the original version of the poem. Her wonderful slant rhymes have been transformed for the sake of rhythmn. WHY??