I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed : Quotations
I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed is a notable literary work by Emily Dickinson. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed.
Quotations
Quotes
“I taste a liquor never brewed—”
Explanation: This opening line sets the central metaphor. The “liquor” is not real alcohol but the overwhelming joy of nature. Dickinson begins by showing that no earthly drink compares to the beauty of the natural world.
“Inebriate of Air—am I—
And Debauchee of Dew—”
Explanation: The speaker says she is drunk on fresh air and morning dew. These playful lines show how simple elements of nature can intoxicate her with joy. It is a metaphor for being overwhelmed by life’s beauty
“When Butterflies—renounce their drams—
I shall but drink the more!”
Explanation: Butterflies stop sipping nectar after a while, but the speaker never stops. Her thirst for nature’s beauty is endless. This shows human imagination and passion reaching beyond natural limits.
“To see the little Tippler—
Leaning against the—Sun!”
Explanation: The poem ends with a playful, spiritual image. Angels and saints watch the speaker, a “tippler,” leaning against the sun like a drunk. It shows her joy reaching transcendence, where earthly pleasure becomes heavenly bliss.
Moral Lesson: The poem teaches us to find joy in nature’s beauty. True happiness comes not from wine or wealth, but from simple wonders like air, dew, and sunlight. This joy can lift the soul, making life feel rich, playful, and even divine.