It's about something worthless but honored for its little contribution. Dickinson sent this poem without other words to her aunt in Cambridge where she stayed for three months for her eye treatments, possibly to show her gratitude.
The Robin for the Crumb
Returns no syllable
But long records the Lady's name
In Silver Chronicle.
Returns no syllable
But long records the Lady's name
In Silver Chronicle.
(F.810/J.810)
[1] Robin:: Robin-in-the-hedge, also called Lady's Bedstraw (OED 6b), used as crumb to be the bedding for the birth of Jesus.
[2] no syllable:: the plant cannot say a word about its contribution, but it's remembered by its other name, Our Lady's Bedstraw.
[3] Lady's name:: Virgin Mary.
[4] Silver Chronicle:: the record of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem.
The English name of this plant recalls the times when the monks were the chief observers of flowers, and named so many in honour of the Virgin Mary and the different saints. All the flowers having the prefix of Lady, or the word Mary, were doubtless called after the Virgin, and were originally Our Lady's flowers. Hence we have Lady's Bedstraw, Lady's Mantle, the Rosemary, and the Marygold. ─ Wild Flowers (1853)
