Dickinson imagines a butterfly emerging from its cocoon not as a frantic insect but as a lady stepping out her door on a lazy summer afternoon. With no discernible plan except to wander, it drifts over fields where clovers somehow understand its whims, its pretty wings folding like a parasol among men making hay. The butterfly struggles briefly against a cloud, then joins what seem like phantom companions all moving in a vague, pointless circle — as if putting on a tropical show for no one. Meanwhile, a bee works diligently and a flower zealously blooms, but this audience of idleness looks down from the sky and disdains them for being so earnest. The speaker’s tone is bemused and faintly wistful, watching a creature completely absorbed in its own graceful irrelevance. As dusk creeps in like a steady tide, the afternoon, the haymakers, and the butterfly are all quietly extinguished together into the sea. The mood is dreamy and transient, a celebration of aimless beauty that simply vanishes with the day.
From Cocoon forth a Butterfly — Summary
From Cocoon forth a Butterfly As Lady from her Door Emerged -- a Summer Afternoon -- Repairing Everywhere --
Without Design -- that I could trace Except to stray abroad On Miscellaneous Enterprise The Clovers -- understood --
Her pretty Parasol be seen Contracting in a Field Where Men made Hay -- Then struggling hard With an opposing Cloud --
Where Parties -- Phantom as Herself -- To Nowhere -- seemed to go In purposeless Circumference -- As 'twere a Tropic Show --
And notwithstanding Bee -- that worked -- And Flower -- that zealous blew -- This Audience of Idleness Disdained them, from the Sky --
Till Sundown crept -- a steady Tide -- And Men that made the Hay -- And Afternoon -- and Butterfly -- Extinguished -- in the Sea --