To Make A Prairie Poem By Emily Dickinson Summary, Notes And Line By Line Analysis In English

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Introduction:

‘To Make a Prairie’ is a short and crisp poem written by eminent poet Emily Dickinson. With a mere handful of words, it manages to bring out its intended meaning with ease. 

About the Poet:

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) was a notable American poet. She is known for her often bold writing style. Famous works of hers include ‘“Hope” Is The Thing With Feathers’, ‘I Taste A Liquor Never Brewed’, and ‘Success Is Counted Sweetest’. 

Poem

To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,
One clover, and a bee.
And revery.
The revery alone will do,
If bees are few.

The poem begins with the phrase ‘To make a prairie’. Prairie refers to the landscape of grasslands. The poem here states that to “make” a prairie, all one needs is “a clover and one bee.” This, of course, is literally impossible. The poem thus ends with how through imagination or “revery” alone– reverie, that is– this is entirely possible even “If bees are few” (signifying reality). 

Conclusion:

This is a thought-provoking poem. It is a representation of how the power of creativity and imagination can make what is impossible in reality happen.