Old-Fashioned (Poem by Emily Dickinson)

Old-Fashioned

By Emily Dickinson

Arcturus is his other name, — 

I'd rather call him star!

It's so unkind of science

To go and interfere!

I pull a flower from the woods, — 

A monster with a glass

Computes the stamens in a breath,

And has her in a class.

Whereas I took the butterfly

Aforetime in my hat,

He sits erect in cabinets,

The clover-bells forgot.

What once was heaven, is zenith now.

Where I proposed to go

When time's brief masquerade was done,

Is mapped, and charted too!

What if the poles should frisk about

And stand upon their heads!

I hope I 'm ready for the worst,

Whatever prank betides!

Perhaps the kingdom of Heaven 's changed!

I hope the children there

Won't be new-fashioned when I come,

And laugh at me, and stare!

I hope the father in the skies

Will lift his little girl, — 

Old-fashioned, naughty, everything, — 

Over the stile of pearl!

Poem Analysis:

Emily Dickinson’s poem Old-Fashioned presents a poignant reflection on the tension between scientific progress and traditional, imaginative perspectives. Through a tone of nostalgia and subtle defiance, Dickinson critiques the way scientific rationality diminishes the wonder and mystery of the natural world. The poem explores themes of modernization, the loss of innocence, and the fear of change—both in earthly and heavenly realms.

Science vs. Romanticism: A Clash of Perspectives

The poem’s opening lines immediately establish Dickinson’s skepticism toward scientific naming and categorization:

Arcturus is his other name, —

I'd rather call him star!

It's so unkind of science

To go and interfere!

Here, Dickinson contrasts the poetic beauty of simply calling Arcturus a "star" with the scientific act of naming it with precision. The phrase “so unkind of science” suggests a resentment toward the reductionist tendencies of scientific inquiry, which, in her view, strip away the emotional and mystical connection humans have with nature. Instead of allowing celestial objects to inspire awe, science places them within rigid frameworks.

This theme continues in the second stanza, where Dickinson describes a botanist dissecting a flower:

I pull a flower from the woods, —

A monster with a glass

Computes the stamens in a breath,

And has her in a class.

The "monster with a glass" refers to a scientist using a magnifying glass or microscope to classify plants. Dickinson’s choice of the word “monster” suggests a sense of horror at the mechanical, impersonal approach to nature. The flower, which might have once been a source of beauty and inspiration, is now merely a specimen, categorized and stripped of its poetic essence.

The Loss of Childhood Wonder

Dickinson’s lament continues as she recalls a time when she could freely capture a butterfly in her hat, only to contrast it with the modern scientific practice of preserving specimens in museums:

Whereas I took the butterfly

Aforetime in my hat,

He sits erect in cabinets,

The clover-bells forgot.

This passage reinforces the idea that scientific study often results in detachment from the natural world. The butterfly, once a living, fluttering presence in nature, is now an inert specimen “sitting erect in cabinets.” The phrase “The clover-bells forgot” implies that the butterfly has been removed from its natural habitat and stripped of its original, carefree existence.

The poet mourns this transformation, suggesting that modern ways of engaging with nature have lost the innocence and immediacy of her own past experiences.

The Changing Heavens: Fear of a New World

Dickinson’s critique extends beyond the natural world into a more profound existential concern—the fear that heaven itself has been altered by scientific discovery.

What once was heaven, is zenith now.

Where I proposed to go

When time's brief masquerade was done,

Is mapped, and charted too!

She expresses disappointment that the once-mystical concept of “heaven” has been reduced to a mere “zenith,” a scientifically defined point in the sky. The act of mapping and charting the universe removes the mystery and spiritual allure of the afterlife, turning what was once divine into something mundane and measurable.

This stanza suggests a deeper existential anxiety: if science can so easily redefine our understanding of the cosmos, what does that mean for deeply held beliefs about the afterlife?

The Uncertainty of Change

The poem takes a whimsical yet uneasy turn as Dickinson ponders the possibility of a cosmic upheaval:

What if the poles should frisk about

And stand upon their heads!

I hope I 'm ready for the worst,

Whatever prank betides!

The idea of the poles “frisking about” and standing on their heads suggests a chaotic reversal of natural order. While this could be interpreted as playful imagery, it also carries an undercurrent of anxiety—what if everything she believes in is turned upside down? The speaker's declaration, “I hope I’m ready for the worst,” suggests both resignation and apprehension toward an uncertain future.

Nostalgia for an “Old-Fashioned” Heaven

In the final two stanzas, Dickinson directly addresses her fear that even heaven may have changed, and that she may not belong in the new order:

Perhaps the kingdom of Heaven 's changed!

I hope the children there

Won't be new-fashioned when I come,

And laugh at me, and stare!

She worries that the afterlife, like the earthly world, has modernized in ways that might leave her feeling out of place. The fear of being judged—“laughed at” and “stared at”—reveals a deeper anxiety about being obsolete or outdated.

Her final wish is that, despite her "old-fashioned" ways, God will still accept her:

I hope the father in the skies

Will lift his little girl, —

Old-fashioned, naughty, everything, —

Over the stile of pearl!

By referring to herself as God’s “little girl,” Dickinson expresses a childlike hope that divine love remains constant, even as the world around her changes. The “stile of pearl” likely symbolizes the entrance to heaven, and her plea to be lifted over it suggests a yearning for grace and acceptance despite feeling out of step with the modern world.

A Poignant Critique of Modernization

Old-Fashioned is both a lament and a satire, using humor, nostalgia, and gentle defiance to critique the way science and modernization have altered humanity’s relationship with nature, mystery, and faith. Dickinson resists the idea that everything must be classified, measured, and demystified, arguing instead for the preservation of wonder, innocence, and traditional belief.

Ultimately, the poem highlights a universal human struggle: how to reconcile progress with the deep longing for the past. Dickinson does not reject knowledge outright, but she mourns the loss of enchantment and fears that in our quest for understanding, we may have sacrificed something irreplaceable.