Further in Summer than the Birds — Periodical Cicadas

The long life cycle of cicadas can be 13 or 17 years, but never 15. This was observed in Dickinson's time without known the reason. Cicadas mate in group, lay eggs and die, a scene described in this poem.

Further in Summer than the Birds ¹
Pathetic from the Grass
A minor Nation celebrates
Its unobtrusive Mass.

No Ordinance be seen ⁵
So gradual the Grace
A pensive Custom it becomes
Enlarging Loneliness.

Antiquest felt at Noon ⁹
When August burning low
Arise this spectral Canticle
Repose to typify

Remit as yet no Grace ¹³
No Furrow on the Glow
Yet a Druidic Difference
Enhances Nature now

(F.895/J.1068)

[1] Summer:: with reference to prosperous, pleasant, or genial conditions _{(OED 4e)}. Further in Summer than the Birds:: via the Mass (mating), the cicadas extend their prosperous life further than the birds.
[2] Pathetic:: cicadas will die after the mating Mass.
[3, 4] minor Nation, Mass:: a group of cicadas mate at the same time as a Mass.
[5, 6] No Ordinance, gradual:: no ordinance but advancing slowly.
[7] pensive Custom:: male cicadas die soon after mating.
[8] Loneliness:: female cicadas are alone and will die after eggs laid.
[9] Antiquest:: the oldest propagation process. Noon:: the highest moment of the Mass.
[10] August:: eminent, majestic. burning:: the state of being inflamed with desire.
[11] spectral Canticle:: sounds produced by cicadas.
[12] Repose:: to idle; cicadas will idle themselves for many years. typify:: to exhibit this essential character (the odd life cycle).
[13] Remit, no Grace:: the mating remits life with the cost of death, which is no grace.
[14] No Furrow on the Glow:: a passionate gathering without trace. The female cicadas lay eggs into the bark of trees.
[15] Druidic Difference:: indicating the mystic difference of 13 and 17; no answer to these numbers in Dickinson's time.
[16] Enhances Nature:: enhances the greatness of world's nature.

Divergent Evolution in the Periodical Cicada. In this species we have examples of two quite distinct divergences, each depending on its own forms of Segregation, which are easily recognized. The life-history of this insect covers 17 years and one or two months. The imago appears late in May, and for a little more than a month the males make the woods ring with their shrill stridulations. The eggs, which are deposited in the green twigs of trees, mature during the latter part of July; and each newly-hatched larva dropping to the ground, takes up a solitary subterranean life, which it follows till its period of 17 years is nearly complete. It then appears above the ground, passes into its winged stage, and enters on a few weeks of social life which closes its career. This species is widely distributed in that part of the United States that lies between the Atlantic shore and the Rocky Mountains. It does not, however, occur in Minnesota, Northern Michigan, or Northern New England. It is, however, represented by two races in every respect the same, except that one has a life-history of thirteen and the other of seventeen years. . . . and, even if our informants are mistaken in supposing that cross-unions do not occur, there must be some form of incompatibility between the two races, resting on divergent endowments; for otherwise we should find hybrid descendants with periods of more than 13 and less than 17 years' duration. ─ Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York (1856)

He who in Himself believes — Sisyphus

Key to solve this riddle is in line 5 and 6. Background of this poem may be Dickinson's sympathy for the slavery. Sisyphean slaves were laborious and futile at that time. Slaves "defaced vicariously" for the shame of white men their gods, and "cannot perish."

01 He who in Himself believes－¹
02 Fraud cannot presume－
03 Faith is Constancy's Result－
04 And assumes－from Home－

05 Cannot perish, though it fail⁵
06 Every second time－
07 But defaced Vicariously－
08 For Some Other Shame.

(F.835/J.969)

[1] He:: Sisyphus, king of Ephyra.
[2] Fraud:: He cheated Thanatos, or Hades and Persephone.
[3] Faith:: faith to be alive; or to go back one's original birthplace.
[4] assume:: to lay claim to, usurp. Sisyphus's trick blocked the path to the underworld and no human can die; somehow he usurped the Death. Home:: one's final resting place, referring to the grave; one's origin.
[5] it fail:: his punishment. He was punished by Zeus to roll a huge stone up to a hill, but failed always just before the top.
[6] Every second time:: every next time; endlessly.
[7] defaced Vicariously:: his story defaced gods.
[8] Other Shame:: the shame of foolishness; gods being cheated by human.

Summer for thee, grant I may be — Adonis

In Greek myth, anemone is a flower growing from the blood of Adonis or tears of Venus. In this poem, he asked his lover Venus to gather him.

Summer for thee, grant I may be ¹
When Summer days are flown!
Thy music still, when Whipporwill
And Oriole－are done!

For thee to bloom, I'll skip the tomb ⁵
And row my blossoms o'er!
Pray gather me－
Anemone－
Thy flower－forevermore!

(F.7/J.31)

[1] I:: Adonis, hinted by "me anemone" in line eight.
[2] Summer days are flown:: Venus and Adonis, their good days are gone.
[3] Thy music:: loving words of Aphrodite (Venus). Whippowil:: whip-poor-will, a bird's notes bringing bad omen.
[4] Oriole:: a monogamous bird, having a fixed mate for breeding.
[5] skip the tomb:: to escape death, by turning to anemone for Aphrodite.
[7] gather me:: gather the anemone, the flower of Adonis.
[8] Anemone:: a flower growing after the death of Adonis.
[9] Thy flower:: a flower belongs to Aphrodite.

The anemone is often confounded with the flos Adonis; nor is this surprising; for they both belong to the same Linnaean class and order. Both are fabled to be derived from the youth Adonis, who, being killed while hunting, was changed by Venus into anemone; both the flos Adonis and anemone have their champions. ─ The Garland of Flora (1829)

Why is a certain American bird called the Whip-poor-Will? Because its notes seem pretty plainly to articulate the words whip-poor-will; the first and last syllables being uttered with great emphasis, and the whole in about a second to each repetition; . . . Some of the more ignorant and superstitious consider this near approach as foreboding no good to the family, — nothing less than the sickness, misfortune, or death, of some of its members. ─ Knowledge for the People (1832)