I thought that nature was enough
Till Human nature came
But that the other did absorb
As Parallax a Flame—

Dickinson contrasts “nature” (the external world, often sufficient for solace or wonder) with “Human nature” (the force of human feeling, desire, and relationship). The speaker believed the natural world was “enough” until the encounter with human attachment altered the scale of experience. “Absorb” suggests being taken over or eclipsed; the image of “Parallax” implies a shift in perception caused by a change in position—love or intimacy re-situates the observer so that what once seemed complete is re-seen and diminished. The flame metaphor hints at passion: human nature doesn’t merely add to nature’s beauty; it reframes it, consuming attention and redefining what counts as sufficiency.