Emily Dickinson's The Wind-Tapped

In Emily Dickinson’s poem, “The Wind Tapped,” a brief visit from a bird is emphasized through silence of punctuation, mimicking the movements. The speaker’s contradicting attitude toward impending isolation reveals the importance of communication and companionship by her choice of brief intonation and complex structure. Smooth and simple word choices provide abrupt, yet reflexive moments. The simile, “like a tired man” (line 1) describes the effortless impact it has similar to an exhausted man. This is important to notice because it gives the wind a subtle and oblivious character. “His speech was from a superior bush” provides an authoritative atmosphere that further extends the ‘wind’ being prideful. Furthermore, the visitor’s action seem to be more important than the host of conversation. “Again he tapped -’twas flurriedly-” (line 19) gives the effect of the wind passing quickly. It rushes by which portrays the visit with a sense of unimportance. When the visitor leaves ‘fittingly’, it leaves -both the speaker and the reader- the ability to ponder upon the true desires of reality when coming to isolation. Grammatically, free- verse and consistency allow easy rhythm to flow. “A rapid, footless guest,” (line 5) provides decreasing intensity which imitates the actions of a

“Entered then my residence within,” (line 3-4) the invitation of the visitor ‘inside’ is an overall rhetorical one. Despite the speaker’s true desires, they refrained from acting upon them and gave into temptation. The shift in view and mood provide an uncertainty in what the truth holds. “No bone had he to bind him” (line 9 )explains the undefined shape and perhaps morals on which the visitor stands. He and the speaker are both ignorant to their faithful yearning for