The Grass so little has to do
A Sphere of simple Green
With only Butterflies to brood
And Bees to entertain
And stir all day to pretty Tunes
Literal reading: Dickinson immediately sets up her impression of grass–it’s pretty and simple and doesn’t do anything other than provide an innocent backdrop for innocent creatures. 
 Figurative reading: Keeping in mind the introduction of a Duchess later, we can think of the grass as a metaphor for a similar type of woman–the society lady who does nothing but listen to chamber music, entertain a ‘hive’ of admirers (she’s the Queen Bee, right?), and gossip with friends (butterflies).
The Grass