1. As Imperceptibly as Grief
– by Emily Dickinson –
Choose a task
Activity A
Activity B
Activity C
Activity D
Activity E
Activity F

2. As Imperceptibly as Grief
– by Emily Dickinson –
Activity A
The poem is an expression of emotion. Read the poem a few times. What emotion or state of mind do you think is being described here?
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As imperceptibly as Grief
The Summer lapsed away –
Too imperceptible at last
To seem like Perfidy –
A Quietness distilled
As Twilight long begun,
Or Nature spending with herself
Sequestered Afternoon –
The Dusk drew earlier in –
The Morning foreign shone –
A courteous, yet harrowing Grace,
As Guest, that would be gone –
And thus, without a Wing
Or service of a Keel
Our Summer made her light escape
Into the Beautiful.
How would you describe the mood and atmosphere created by the poet?
Select some words and phrases to support your views.

3. As Imperceptibly as Grief
– by Emily Dickinson –
Activity B
The poem begins and ends with the image of summer. What aspects of summer are used here?
Menu
As imperceptibly as Grief
The Summer lapsed away –
Too imperceptible at last
To seem like Perfidy –
A Quietness distilled
As Twilight long begun,
Or Nature spending with herself
Sequestered Afternoon –
The Dusk drew earlier in –
The Morning foreign shone –
A courteous, yet harrowing Grace,
As Guest, that would be gone –
And thus, without a Wing
Or service of a Keel
Our Summer made her light escape
Into the Beautiful.
In what ways are summer and grief linked?
What connotations does summer have that make this a surprising comparison?

4. As Imperceptibly as Grief
– by Emily Dickinson –
Activity C
How does the poet use the image of the passing of the day?
Menu
As imperceptibly as Grief
The Summer lapsed away –
Too imperceptible at last
To seem like Perfidy –
A Quietness distilled
As Twilight long begun,
Or Nature spending with herself
Sequestered Afternoon –
The Dusk drew earlier in –
The Morning foreign shone –
A courteous, yet harrowing Grace,
As Guest, that would be gone –
And thus, without a Wing
Or service of a Keel
Our Summer made her light escape
Into the Beautiful.
As imperceptibly as Grief
The Summer lapsed away –
Too imperceptible at last
To seem like Perfidy –
A Quietness distilled
As Twilight long begun,
Or Nature spending with herself
Sequestered Afternoon –
The Dusk drew earlier in –
The Morning foreign shone –
A courteous, yet harrowing Grace,
As Guest, that would be gone –
And thus, without a Wing
Or service of a Keel
Our Summer made her light escape
Into the Beautiful.
Underline any references to the time of day or night.
Click to highlight words in red.
What do you notice about these references?
Why do you think the poet uses them?

5. As Imperceptibly as Grief
– by Emily Dickinson –
Activity D
The poet creates a still atmosphere. How is this effect achieved? Is it calm and still throughout?
Menu
As imperceptibly as Grief
The Summer lapsed away –
Too imperceptible at last
To seem like Perfidy –
A Quietness distilled
As Twilight long begun,
Or Nature spending with herself
Sequestered Afternoon –
The Dusk drew earlier in –
The Morning foreign shone –
A courteous, yet harrowing Grace,
As Guest, that would be gone –
And thus, without a Wing
Or service of a Keel
Our Summer made her light escape
Into the Beautiful.
Look at the words in blue. What mood is created by their use?
Look at the words in red. What effects do they have on the meaning of the poem?

6. As Imperceptibly as Grief
– by Emily Dickinson –
Activity E
How does the poet use sound and phonology in the poem?
Menu
As imperceptibly as Grief
The Summer lapsed away –
Too imperceptible at last
To seem like Perfidy –
A Quietness distilled
As Twilight long begun,
Or Nature spending with herself
Sequestered Afternoon –
The Dusk drew earlier in –
The Morning foreign shone –
A courteous, yet harrowing Grace,
As Guest, that would be gone –
And thus, without a Wing
Or service of a Keel
Our Summer made her light escape
Into the Beautiful.
Read the poem out loud and mark where the rhythm of the lines changes as you read.
What effect do you think the poet was trying to create by her use of rhythm?
Look at her use of rhymes and half-rhymes. Why do you think the poet chose to use rhyme in this way?

7. As Imperceptibly as Grief
– by Emily Dickinson –
Activity F
How does the poet use the image of the passing of the day?
Menu
As imperceptibly as Grief
The Summer lapsed away –
Too imperceptible at last
To seem like Perfidy –
A Quietness distilled
As Twilight long begun,
Or Nature spending with herself
Sequestered Afternoon –
The Dusk drew earlier in –
The Morning foreign shone –
A courteous, yet harrowing Grace,
As Guest, that would be gone –
And thus, without a Wing
Or service of a Keel
Our Summer made her light escape
Into the Beautiful.
As imperceptibly as Grief
The Summer lapsed away –
Too imperceptible at last
To seem like Perfidy –
A Quietness distilled
As Twilight long begun,
Or Nature spending with herself
Sequestered Afternoon –
The Dusk drew earlier in –
The Morning foreign shone –
A courteous, yet harrowing Grace,
As Guest, that would be gone –
And thus, without a Wing
Or service of a Keel
Our Summer made her light escape
Into the Beautiful.
Highlight two different uses of personification
What is being personified and why?
Click to highlight in red.