Whether my bark went down at sea

            В помощь переводчикам Эмили Дикинсон

Стихотворение написано в 1858 году, Эмили 28 лет. Она говорит о своей душе,  олицетворяя её с небольшой лодкой.


52

Whether my bark went down at sea —
Whether she met with gales —
Whether to isles enchanted
She bent her docile sails —

By what mystic mooring
She is held to-day, —
This is the errand of the eye
Out upon the bay.
    
              Emily Dickinson

Context and Meaning:
The Metaphor: The poem uses a nautical metaphor where a "bark" (small boat) represents a soul or a person's life journey.

"Docile Sails": The phrase suggests a flexible, meek, obedient, or submissive spirit that has adapted to its circumstances, allowing the boat to reach "isles enchanted" (often interpreted as a peaceful afterlife or a state of imagination).

The Action: "Bending" the sails refers to navigating or steering toward a specific destination, in this case, a mystical or spiritual one, rather than fighting against the elements.                (From he Internet)