The poem

HOW HAPPY IS THE LITTLE STONE
by Emily Dickinson



How happy is the little stone
That rambles in the road alone,
And doesn't care about careers,
And exigencies never fears;
Whose coat of elemental brown
A passing universe put on;
And independent as the sun,
Associates or glows alone,
Fulfilling absolute decree
In casual simplicity.





The poem is very simple yet very deep. We can understand it on more levels :
- literal about the stone as a stone
- figurative about what the stone could be

The poem is written in a simple language, which doesn't lessen its meaning or artistic value. On the opposite, it intensifies it.
It is full of metaphors: life, person, god's will.....

It could be viewed as autobiographic, because Emily also lived a secluded life, alone, saying that you can be happy like that.