~~~Emily Dickinson~~~Poem-A-Day Plus~~~7/1775~~~"The feet of people walking home"

"The feet of people walking home" by Emily Dickinson

Version 1
The feet of people walking home
With gayer sandals go -
The crocus - till she rises -
The vassal of the snow -
The lips at Hallelujah
Long years of practise bore -
Till bye and bye, these Bargemen
Walked - singing - on the shore

Pearls are the Diver's farthings
Extorted form the sea -
Pinions - the Seraph's wagon -
Pedestrian once - as we -
Night is the morning's canvas -
Larceny - legacy -
Death - but our rapt attention
To immortality.

My figures fail to tell me
How far the village lies -
Whose peasants are the angels -
Whose cantons dot the skies -
My Classics vail their faces -
My faith that Dark adores -
Which from it's solemn abbeys -
Such resurrection pours!

[edit] Version 2
The feet of people walking home
With gayer sandals go -
The Crocus - till she rises
The Vassal of the snow -
The lips at Hallelujah
Long years of practise bore
Till bye and bye these Bargemen
Walked singing on the shore

Pearls are the Diver's farthings
Extorted form the Sea -
Pinions - the Seraph's wagon
Pedestrian once - as we -

Night is the morning's Canvas
Larceny - legacy -
Death, but our rapt attention
To Immortality.

My figures fail to tell me
How far the Village lies -
Whose peasants are the angels -
Whose Cantons dot the skies -
My Classics vail their faces -
My faith that Dark adores -
Which from it's solemn abbeys
Such resurrection pours.

[edit] Version 3
The feet of people walking home
With gayer Sandals go -
The Crocus - till she rises
The Vassal of the snow -
The lips at Hallelujah
Long years of practise bore
Till bye and bye these Bargemen
Walked singing, on the shore

Pearls are the Diver's farthings -
Extorted form the sea -
Pinions - the Seraph's wagon -
Pedestrian once, as we -
Night is the morning's Canvas
Larceny - legacy -
Death, but our rapt attention
To immortality.

My figures fail to tell me
How far the village lies -
Whose peasants are the angels -
Whose Cantons dot the skies -
My Classics vail their faces -
My faith that dark adores -
Which from it's solemn abbeys
Such resurrection pours!

[edit] Version 4
The feet of people walking home -
With gayer sandals go -
The Crocus, till she rises
The Vassal of the snow -

The lips at Hallelujah
Long years of practise bore -
Till bye and bye these Bargemen
Walked singing, on the shore.

Pearls are the Diver's farthings -
Extorted form the sea -
Pinions - the Seraph's wagon -
Pedestrian once - as we -

Night is the morning's Canvas
Larceny - Legacy.
Death, but our rapt attention
To immortality.

My figures fail to tell me
How far the village lies
Whose peasants are the angels -
Whose Cantons dot the skies -

My Classics vail their faces -
My faith that dark adores -
Which from it's solemn abbeys
Such resurrection pours -

Emily Dickinson

"The feet of people walking home" could refer to people walking home from church or people walking home as in "home" the eternal home.

"The feet of people walking home
With gayer sandals go -
The crocus - till she rises -
The vassal of the snow -
The lips at Hallelujah
Long years of practise bore -
Till bye and bye, these Bargemen
Walked - singing - on the shore"

Emily use an analogy of Christ in the "sandals" theme. "Gayer" meaning happier I believe; meaning joyful meaning heavenly or otherworldly; the afterlife.

"The crocus'" the first flower of the spring often popping up through the snow; being the "vassals" or "servant" of the snow. Interesting use of vassal here, which has medieval reference, again perusing Emily's classic studies. I do believe Emily uses poetry to showcase her studied eruditeness.
The crocus she personifies or makes human by calling them "lips" at "Hallelujah" meaning when the choirs of heavenly angels call people their heavenly home.

"Long years of practice bore" referring to Sunday psalms sung in the choir by sweet lips or angelic shoirs and walking home, something which becomes richer and more spiritual, more aware of the practice of walking; "the shoes of the fisherman" possible reference.

The double entendre "Till bye and bye" could mean the gospel song "In the Sweet Bye and Bye" or it could mean "Bye bye" or the person leaving this plane of existence and going home or to "Bye bye land". Maybe more meanings for Bye bye here. What is a triple entrendre called? Many meanings to Emily's work can be wrought, no doubt!

"The Bargeman" could be like the crocus' appearance, a sign of things to come, like the grim reaper, yet a "friendlier" version. Again another sea-motif metaphor, with the sea reference.
"Walking and singing" the Bargemen walk on the shore.

"Pearls are the Diver's farthings
Extorted form the sea -
Pinions - the Seraph's wagon -
Pedestrian once - as we -
Night is the morning's canvas -
Larceny - legacy -
Death - but our rapt attention
To immortality."

"Pearls are the Diver's farthings" that is pearls are money which are taken by force "extorted" from the sea (sp error deliberate or not?)
Pinions (may refer to St. Catherine of the wheel) the Seraph's wagon (should this read Seraphim? Angelic choirs riding a wagon referring to Ezekiel in the Old Testament being taken to heaven in a chariot of fire?

"Pedesrian once" on this ride of a lifetime! To heaven; go! Get thee! The Quickening? Or we walk on this earth but "fly" in heaven; Emily believes we get wings! This is good!
"Night is the morning's canvas" which means something like a stage set gives way and this new heaven is revealed.

"Larceny - legacy" is something I am not sure exactly what is meant here. Maybe "Stolen legacy" In other words life is stolen from us by death. But this does not matter because our new attention (or "rapt attention" will be; "To immortality". We become immortal or live forever; this gathers all our attention and the old falls away.

"My figures fail to tell me
How far the village lies -
Whose peasants are the angels -
Whose cantons dot the skies -
My Classics vail their faces -
My faith that Dark adores -
Which from it's solemn abbeys -
Such resurrection pours!"

It is as if Emily is having a vision of these Bargemen as she continues to talk to them yet they "fail to tell me" how far away "the village lies". Emily then continues to ad that the village peasant are actually angels "be careful as you may be entertaining angels unawares" (Biblical quote). "Whose cantons dot the skies" referring to the 12 Temples or "cantons" administrative judicial government in Heaven.

And then Emily says "My Classics vail their faces" . Just had an insight here; think about it; Emily is reading her classics in her bedroom and her book is open to the night sky with all the stars. Could these stars be "the cantons or countries, provinces, states, whatever of Emily nightsky view? The obvious immensity of the Heavenly realms (see New Testament St. John Revelation for a full description of heaven).

Here Emily sounds profoundly religious;

"My faith that Dark adores -
Which from it's solemn abbeys -
Such resurrection pours!"

Emily compares her solemness, her faith to "Dark" night I believe. The dark is an analogy to The Night or Death. This solemnity is the basis of Emily's faith in "resurrection" and "pours" maybe a Christ image of blood from the darkness the saving grace of the blood of Jesus. Although it is odd; Emily does not directly mention the word "Christ" just "resurrection" without a capital "R". Although it is deliberately insinuated and metaphorically very obvious the Christian influence with some Transcendental-like "resurrection" type reference.

Chiccoreal by logb aka Jane Jones

Whose Sandals Walk this way
In places unbeknowst
in cantons places far away from here
but someday
The Bargemen cometh
the Bargemen cometh
say it thrice
why not
To take home us home
on the Fiery Chariot
Pinions and gear ready
do we really have an opinion?
Pinions Away!
Pining away for the day to come!
far from the reaches of these far shores
these resurrection places
that pour forth
the blessed blood
which is?
what is the blood?
why Miss Emily
You know but why why why?
why do you hold back?
in Your "Dark" world
cloistered and quiet
Emily you want to say Love
but in those days this word
never uttered?
Yes, rarely do you mention this word
yet I know it is on your lips
that may look like crocuses to you
frozen heart in the ground
still buds these gifts of life
yet you know the more important score
the everlasting Eternity
and as if out of this Dark mire
a lady in waiting
Miss Emily's eyes how they shine
Lights eternal
leading the way
with a heart heavy
but a heart holding back
like a flood for the Bargemen
who too
must be waiting for the Light
to come for all time
waiting for the Light
your night light
reading the Classics
How Honorous
of your Saviour
to save the day from the night
as you read the Classics in your
cosy quilted bed
always alone
a spinster you choose
the life of a female hermitine
hoping the unveiling the truth one day
if not heaven
to open up
and have a place on this earth
in all your imaginings you gleamed
from The Good Book
from the real earth
Our sandal feet
The Fisher of Men
We all one day will walk alone
Upon that far shore
Yes the Bargemen come for all
to accept the task
with rapt attention
these Heavenly Seraphm choirs
who's memory of songs from church
and peasants in the near village
speak of things not of this earth
Be careful
For you may be entertaining
Angels
Unawares

jj