I Felt a Funeral in My Brain - a Poetry Friday post

[kellyrfineman]

First the poem, then a bit of discussion. But only a bit because I'm feeling rather like I've been struck by a bus. (It's a combination of my rheumatoid arthritis and a fall up some steps.) Given how I'm feeling - and the fact that I posted this poem for brennayovanoff the other day, this poem seemed somehow appropriate. Because he gave me permission to use his

Comments

[brennayovanoff]

I feel like I should say all these amorphous-but-useful things about Emily Dickinson, but all I can think is, "Wow, what a great print!"

Also, I tried reading this without the last stanza, and although the fourth is my favorite, well, I just don't like ending it there!

Hope you feel better :)

[kellyrfineman]

Thanks, Brenna. (Kevin's art is great - I love that print, but my particular favorite is Emily in Fall; I bought a print of it. And one of Virginia Woolf in the river as well.)

[lorrainemt]

Sounds like you need a relaxing day tomorrow, Kelly. Hope you're feeling better soon.
I'll have to come back and read this poem when I'm not about to conk out--the title has definitely piqued my interest.

[kellyrfineman]

I need lots of relaxation, but will have to settle for a little, since hubby invited the wide world for a barbecue here tomorrow, then took off for the day so he could spend it with a friend (an activity he plans on repeating tomorrow as well).

Thanks...

[slatts]

...for all the good things you say here and the plug and all.

But THANKS more for another great poem-post of Em....

and last but definitely not least, I do hope you're feeling better soon!

[kellyrfineman]

Thanks, Kevin.

[jamarattigan]

Great post -- depression is a kind of death.

Nice to see Kevin's art, too.

Sorry to hear you're not feeling well. Take care.

[kellyrfineman]

I'm still pondering whether she was definitely referring to depression, or whether it was a migraine or trance-state. *ponders*

[kellyrfineman]

Me too.

[windspirit_girl]

This was one of the first poems I read by Dickenson, in high school. I think they taught us that it was about death then (but I think I thought it was about depression). A migraine actually seems even better in fitting the description. The last stanza I definitely think needs to stay. The slant rhyme I think would be intentional--"then" signifyng" the end of knowing the other world (at least in the same way--like going to another realm in death or even having some type of mystical experience during a migraine (I think of Simone Weil)). "Then" is a "break" but not a complete one outside of language altogether...perhaps it marks the transition (no description after this) point. It's suggestive of things to come. "Then" as in "and then we..." (the next thing, the future) and "then" as in "we'll go, then" (the marking of making a decision, the end of a chain of reasoning). Thank you! So great to read this poem again!

[kellyrfineman]

I love your point about that "then" hovering at the end of the poem. Very well-said. I'm still pondering whether it might be a migraine issue or a trance issue instead of depression (which is the standard interpretation these days, but it could be a reaction to a funeral, I suppose, so there's validity to teaching it as death-related in a literal sense).

Emily knew what she was talking about, but the wonderful thing is that she's not here to say, so we're all left free to speculate at will!