The poem centers upon the idea of memory as an escape and liberation. The first stanza of “Dusting” takes place in the present moment of the solarium, and the rest of the poem takes place almost entirely in Beulah’s memory. Dusting the wood is a repetitive motion. Beulah revitalizes the wood, and the continued motion of her hand makes the dark wood even darker. The effects of Beulah’s actions are boring—the wood will continue to get darker and shinier—and the action is equally dull—she will perform the same motion over and over until she moves on to the next dusty spot and does it all over again. The intrusive question, “What / was his name, that / silly boy at the fair” (Lines 10-12) is a welcome distraction. Remembering the name of the boy gives Beulah something to occupy her time with. It also presents a small challenge, unlike cleaning. Successfully dusting all the surfaces in the solarium means little to Beulah. She does that without thinking. Remembering the name, however, will be exciting.

Recapturing her memories is a kind of freedom. As she wracks her brain, Beulah gets caught in the weeds of other memories, such as the night she saved the fish from freezing.