Dickinson sketches a soul trapped in cycles of terror and brief release. In its “Bandaged moments,” the soul freezes while a ghastly, goblin-like fright approaches, strokes her hair, and brazenly kisses lips once touched by a lover—an intrusion that feels monstrous, an unworthy thought accosting something fair. Then, all at once, the soul bursts free in “moments of Escape,” tearing down every door. She dances explosively, like a bomb, drunken with liberty like a bee long locked from its rose, tasting noon and paradise. But the high is short-lived. Soon come “retaken moments,” where the soul is led like a felon, lovely feet shackled, and the same Horror welcomes her back. The mood swings wildly: paralyzing dread, eruptive joy, then the weight of recapture. These states resist language; as the final line insists, they “are not brayed of Tongue.”
The Soul has Bandaged moments -- — Summary
The Soul has Bandaged moments -- When too appalled to stir -- She feels some ghastly Fright come up And stop to look at her --
Salute her -- with long fingers -- Caress her freezing hair -- Sip, Goblin, from the very lips The Lover -- hovered -- o'er -- Unworthy, that a thought so mean Accost a Theme -- so -- fair --
The soul has moments of Escape -- When bursting all the doors -- She dances like a Bomb, abroad, And swings upon the Hours,
As do the Bee -- delirious borne -- Long Dungeoned from his Rose -- Touch Liberty -- then know no more, But Noon, and Paradise --
The Soul's retaken moments -- When, Felon led along, With shackles on the plumed feet, And staples, in the Song,
The Horror welcomes her, again, These, are not brayed of Tongue --