“Tell all the Truth but tell it slant” by Emily Dickinson

I also summarized this poem by Emily Dickinson not too long ago and wanted to include it in my blog. After reading about Emily Dickinson and lloking into her poetry, I find her to be extremely interesting, talented, and fun to read. Here is the summary of the poem, "Tell all the Truth but tell it slant."

I have two opinions on this poem. In my first opinion of reading this poem, I took it to mean that the truth, when told, should be let out slowly to others. Some people can not handle the truth and it needs to be in the form of a little white lie sometimes to benefit the other person. The idea of the truth being too bright can mean telling the whole truth all at once can sometimes be way too shocking and can blind the person as the sun blinds us when it hits our eyes too quickly. I still feel that this is what the poem means, but I also felt some religious message within the poem also. Being that I was in Catholic school my entire life, it reminds me of a story in the Bible of Jesus teaching of how the truth may be revealed by signs and other types of figures, or it can be taught by lightning. Lightning is how either St. Peter or St. Paul was taught, if I remember correctly. The truth appeared suddenly to him as he wanted it and went blind because it was as fast and bright as lightning. I know Emily Dickinson was very knowledgeable of the Bible and religious teachings, so it could mean that also. I personally interpret it as the first part of this summary I wrote, but both make sense.