There is another sky,
Ever serene and fair,
And there is another sunshine,
Though it be darkness there;
Never mind faded forests, Austin,
Never mind silent fields –
Here is a little forest,
Whose leaf is ever green;
Here is a brighter garden,
Where not a frost has been;
In its unfading flowers
I hear the bright bee hum:
Prithee, my brother,
Into my garden come!

— Emily Dickinson

Explanation

This is a short, powerful masterpiece of a poem highlighting Emily Dickinson’s skill as a poet and her boldness in imagining a literary world of imagination that will last forever.

The poem seems like a heartfelt message to her brother Austin. But it’s more than that. It’s also a roadmap to a new, more hopeful way of looking at life and a ticket to a place that exists in imagination and spirit. It’s a place that can give you comfort and hope, even when life seems tough.

Emily starts the poem by painting a picture of a different world, “another sky,” that’s always calm and beautiful and filled with its own “sunshine.” But there’s a twist. She tells us that this world might be dark. This surprising detail hints that she’s talking about an inner world, a personal place that others may find hard to see or understand.

She then turns to speak directly to “Austin,” her older brother, adding a personal touch to the poem. The “faded forests” and “silent fields” she mentions likely symbolize his struggles or sadness. But Emily offers Austin a new way of seeing things. She points to her “little forest,” her “brighter garden,” places that are always fresh and alive, unlike the real world that can be harsh and changeable.

These poetic places represent Emily’s inner world, her imagination, or her poetic vision. It’s a world she has created and that she believes will last forever, always green and bright. It’s her way of inviting her brother, and us as readers, to see life through her eyes.

Using the word “Prithee,” which is an old-fashioned way of saying “please,” Emily shows how much she wants Austin to step into her world. The poem ends on a hopeful note, inviting Austin, and us, to experience life from her positive, vibrant point of view.

What’s unique about Emily Dickinson’s poetry is how she uses pictures of nature, her own life experiences, and her unique style of writing to create a world all her own. Even though “There is Another Sky” is easier to understand than some of her other poems, it gives us a fascinating glimpse into Emily’s mind and her skill in using words to paint beautiful pictures.

In “There is Another Sky,” Emily tells her brother Austin, and us, that her poetry creates a new world. This world is always bright and free from decay, unlike the real world. And even though it might seem dark to others, it’s filled with a sunshine that can light up even the darkest corners.

Emily’s “other sky” is a special place she has created in her mind. It’s always green and bright, untouched by the tough realities of life. This world offers Emily a place of peace and strength, and she invites her brother, and us, to join her in this peaceful, imaginative place.

Emily’s unique style of writing, with unusual punctuation, capitalization, and rhythm, is clear in this poem. She uses this style to capture the complicated and sometimes contradictory feelings people have, offering us a new and powerful way of seeing the world. “There is Another Sky” showcases this style, highlighting Emily’s love for the world of the imagination, perhaps even the world of poetry, over the harsh realities of the physical world.

Dickinson’s is a world of eternal summer, a place of imagination where we can find comfort, strength, and beauty that goes beyond our physical world.