I dreaded that first Robin, so Summary & Analysis
by Emily Dickinson

Question about this poem?
Have a question about this poem?
Have a specific question about this poem?
Have a specific question about this poem?
Have a specific question about this poem?
A LitCharts expert can help.
A LitCharts expert can help.
A LitCharts expert can help.
A LitCharts expert can help.
A LitCharts expert can help.
Ask us
Ask us
Ask a question
Ask a question
Ask a question

Emily Dickinson wrote "I dreaded that first Robin, so" in 1862—though, like most of her poems, it wasn't published until after her death. The poem marks the arrival of spring with vivid details: the first song of the robin, the bright yellow of the daffodils, the buzzing bees, and the blossom. But this is a spring poem with a twist: the speaker doesn't want the spring to arrive. Indeed, she "dread[s]" its arrival, feeling that its bright cheeriness will hurt her. She's in deep pain, and the spring's liveliness only reminds her that the indifferent world will go on turning in spite of her suffering.

Get
Get
LitCharts
Get the entire guide to “I dreaded that first Robin, so” as a printable PDF.
Download