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Analyzig Emily Dickinson Poetry
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Poem 677, Written in 1863
What happens to tone, sound, and meaning with a different style of formatting?
To be alive — is Power —
Existence — in itself —
Without a further function —
Omnipotence — Enough —
To be alive — and Will!
'Tis able as a God —
The Maker — of Ourselves — be what —
Such being Finitude!
A Door just opened on a street,
I lost was passing by.
An instant's width of warmth disclosed,
And wealth and company.
The door as instant shut and I,
I lost was passing by.
Lost doubly but by contrast most,
Informing misery.
Tips for Analyzing the Poem
What is our speaker doing? Where is he/she?
The speaker is lost. What does he/she pass by?
Words & Phrases to Understand
This door is shut. The speaker is still lost.
He/She is lost "doubly." Doubly: Adverb meaning "twice as much. "
"Without a further function." Without a purpose, lacking a reason or goal.
The speaker is even more lost than most people. He or she is different, though in that most are broadcasting this misery, while he/she walks on.
Omnipotence, noun: Almighty power; an attribute of God.
Note the emphasis on being lost. Dashes create a choppy sound, as though one is stopping to look around and noticing how alone he/she is.
Finitude, noun: Being, existence, power. Subject to limitations.
There are 79 poems classified as "Life" Poems in T. Jonhnson's The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
Is being alive a good thing? A bad thing? What kind of power does it give us?
Poem 953, written in 1864
Today we will look at 2 of them, while keeping in mind 1 important question: How does Emily use dashes & unconventional formatting to create her poems?
Now, without the dashes...
A Door just opened on a street —
I — lost — was passing by —
An instant's Width of Warmth disclosed —
And Wealth — and Company.
The Door as instant shut — And I —
I — lost — was passing by —
Lost doubly — but by contrast — most —
Informing — Misery —
To be alive is power,
Existence in itself.
Without a further function,
Omnipotence enough.
To be alive and will!
'Tis able as a God .
The maker of Ourselves be what,
Such being finitude!