"Tell all the truth but tell it slant -"

Tell all the truth but tell it slant - 

Success in Circuit lies

Too bright for our infirm Delight

The Truth’s superb surprise

As Lightning to the Children eased

With explanation kind

The Truth must dazzle gradually

Or every man be blind - 

Fr1263

“Tell all the truth but tell it slant” is written is a single stanza poem written in the ABCB rhyme scheme, which gives it a familiar rhythm and lends itself towards memory.  This poem deals not only with the subject of truth, but focuses in on the ways in which truth must be communicated to be effective. The speaker of the poem insists that truth must be told, but that you also tell it in a way that it can be understood to the listener. The second line states “Success in Circuit lies”.  The Dickinson Lexicon offers many different definitions for “circuit”, but in the context of the poem the most likely definition is “a roundabout mode of speech, expression, or reason; avoiding the use of a single term out of delicacy or respect; the use of a number of words to express an idea when a suitable term is not at hand”. Dickinson’s use of the word “lies” at the end of the second line is a tongue-in-cheek double entendre. On one hand, it asserts that success at communicating truth exists in circuitous explanation, but her word choice of ‘lies’ also works as the opposite of truth.

            The speaker follows this thought with the reasoning behind the necessity of revealing truth in an indirect way. The truth is “Too bright for our infirm Delight”.  This reminds me of the famous, oft quoted line from the movie ‘A Few Good Men’, in which Jack Nicholson’s character screams to the courtroom, “You can’t handle the truth!” Indeed, this is exactly what the speaker of the poem is suggesting. That truth, in itself, is so bright and powerful that we cannot handle or understand it in its pure form. We must metaphorize it, reason with it, and water it down in a way that it is suitable for human consumption. Dickinson underlines this point by making the comparison of explaining lightning to children who are too young to comprehend the science behind it. Instead of getting into the confusing particulars of exactly how lightning occurs, instead we would tend to offer a different explanation. Not a lie, but a small enough dose of the truth that answers the question at hand. The whole truth about lightning, if given as an answer, would not be an answer to a child at all. Instead it would only be an avenue for a hundred new questions. We ease the truth gradually to children, framing our answers in a way that fits into their level of comprehension. The poem closes with the lines “The Truth must dazzle gradually / Or every man be blind” (line 7-8). Like the metaphor of explaining lightning to children, the speaker insists that people can only handle bits of the truth, corresponding to their own level of acceptance and comprehension. Truth, in its pure unaltered form and power, is enough to blind us all if it strikes suddenly. Instead, we must let our eyes and minds accustom to the truth gradually, and as we grow in understanding and tolerance of its power, we will slowly be able to handle more. 

“Emily Dickinson Lexicon.” Emily Dickinson Lexicon, Brigham Young University, edl.byu.edu/.