Below, you can find a complete poem and an analysis of “A Bird came down the Walk” by Emily Dickinson, including notes that are tailored towards A-Level students, but they are also suitable for those studying at any level.
A Bird, came down the Walk –
He did not know I saw –
He bit an Angle Worm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw,
And then, he drank a Dew
From a convenient Grass –
And then hopped sidewise to the Wall
To let a Beetle pass –
He glanced with rapid eyes,
That hurried all abroad –
They looked like frightened Beads, I thought,
He stirred his Velvet Head. –
Like one in danger, Cautious,
I offered him a Crumb,
And he unrolled his feathers,
And rowed him softer Home –
Than Oars divide the Ocean,
Too silver for a seam,
Or Butterflies, off Banks of Noon,
Leap, plashless as they swim.
Emily Dickinson
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Thanks for reading! If you found this useful, you can access a full analysis of the poem here. This includes:
- Key Quotations
- Language Feature Analysis
- Form and Structure Analysis
- Context
- Attitudes + Messages
