As Imperceptibly as Grief

• Imperceptibly

  The word 'imperceptibly could suggest that no-one notices the speaker's pain and grief because it has happened so gradually
• Grief

  The word 'grief' suggests that the pain is unbearable and overwhelming. Grief is seen to be life-changing
• The summer

  Could represent happiness or the peak time in life
• Lapsed Away

  The verb 'lapsed' could represent that time is passing and the speaker in the poem is thinking that death is approaching
• Perfidy

  The word 'Perfidy' may suggest that Dickinson does not trust time and she feels almost tricked by how quickly time/happiness is taken away
• As Twilight

  The use of the image 'Twilight' could suggest that the speaker is trapped between dark/depressed and light/happiness
• Long begun

  'Long ago' shows a melancholic tone of the darkness taking over the happiness
• Dusk drew earlier in

  'Dusk' is coming earlier each day suggesting the light is leaving her life
• Morning foreign shone

  The morning is 'foreign' to her because it offers light and hope. This is something that she does not recognise
• A courteous, yet harrowing Grace

  The phrase 'harrowing Grace' suggests that everything that should be gentle and kind to her seems painful and frightening
• Wing, Keel

  'Wing' and 'Keel' could suggest that the speaker feels like she is unstable and trapped. The speaker craves freedom but can't see any escape
• Light escape

  The word 'light' could suggest that the speaker has finally accepted that time passes and that they will have to face death
• Into the beautiful

  The poem ends positively by Dickinson using the word 'Beautiful'. This could imply that she is now ready to move on to heaven