Emily's First Lines
READ THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY!
To complete this assignment, you must click on the title of this post. When you click on the post you will be taken to a website that lists many of Emily Dickinson's poems by the first line. Choose a first line that sounds interesting to you, and read the poem. After reading the poem, attempt to translate it in the comment section. You may copy and paste the poem, or just include the title. Only one person per poem. Happy reading!!!
posted by English11Scholarzone at 3/21/2006 08:02:00 PM
18 Comments:
FAITH is a fine invention
For gentlemen who see;
But microscopes are prudent
In an emergency!
This poem is saying that Faith was created by God for humans to see in each other, but we are only supposed to look closely if we don't have faith of our own. Not having faith of our own is a truly urgent matter to God and humans alike.
FRITZ
8:22 AM
IF I should die,
And you should live,
And time should gurgle on,
And morn should beam,
And noon should burn, 5
As it has usual done;
If birds should build as early,
And bees as bustling go,—
One might depart at option
From enterprise below! 10
’T is sweet to know that stocks will stand
When we with daisies lie,
That commerce will continue,
And trades as briskly fly.
It makes the parting tranquil 15
And keeps the soul serene,
That gentlemen so sprightly
Conduct the pleasing scene!
I believe that the speaker in this poem is telling someone how they think the world would be like if they were to pass away. The poem is saying that even though the speaker is dead, they think that natural interactions of the world would still carry on. Because of this, it makes their "parting" with the world easy and calm.
8:49 AM
A WORD is dead
When it is said,
Some say.
I say it just
Begins to live
That day.
This poem is saying that sometimes people say things just because. When people say things just because, the words really don't have meanings and therefore it's dead. But if a person say something and wants it to mean something it has life because it was meant to be said.
J.Ellison
8:51 AM
Afraid? Of Whom am I afraid?
I believe this poem means that who should she be afraid of? Nobody not even death because maybe shes one with herself and doesn't need to be afraid of anything ever not even death.
9:05 AM
THE BIBLE is an antique volume
Written by faded men,
At the suggestion of Holy Spectres—
Subjects—Bethlehem—
Eden—the ancient Homestead—
Satan—the Brigadier,
Judas—the great Defaulter,
David—the Troubadour.
Sin—a distinguished Precipice
Others must resist,
Boys that “believe”
Are very lonesome—
Other boys are “lost.”
Had but the tale a warbling Teller
All the boys would come—
Orpheus’ sermon captivated,
It did not condemn.
I believe that this poem is saying that the bible is the oldest book that exists. She lets people know some of the characters in the bible and what they're known for. She mostly mentioned the people who were noted for wrongdoing. She is pointing to the fact that the bible has more wrong than right.
Precipice means a dangerous and detramental situation. So she's saying that the people who believe in the bible and go against sin wind up very lonely because they don't live life to the "society's" fullest. The ones who don't go with the bible don't know who they are. Then she says that if the bible was an adventerous and captivating story then many would be interested in reading and living it. She also made reference to Orpheus, a greek story teller who told stories of his wife Eurydice being captivated by Hades. Then make's a comment that his stories brought people in it did not condemn them.
9:13 AM
mY COMMENT IS ON A death blow is a life blow to someone.
to me it means that when someone dies it really hits someone hard and changes a persons life.
9:45 AM
Beauty
Beauty is all around her and what everyone and everything is revolved around. They will always be revolved around beauty. She is not always focused on beauty and may not be that beautiful. Though if she died she would want people to believe that she was indeed beautiful.
11:17 AM
Beauty
Beauty is all around her and what everyone and everything is revolved around. They will always be revolved around beauty. She is not always focused on beauty and may not be that beautiful. Though if she died she would want people to believe that she was indeed beautiful.
11:17 AM
"Who has not found the heaven below"
I think this poem means if you do not find heaven on earth then you would never find it at all. People need to find some kind of happiness and faith in God to truly become close to him.
11:26 AM
Heart we will forget him!
This peom is about the loss of a loved one. She is heartbroken and hurt by what has happened. He is no longer with her and she is sad about it. She is trying to tell herself to forget about him and get over him. She knows that the longer she thinks about him and how happy they were together she will be miserable.
11:27 AM
My comment is on "A charm invests a face"
To me this means that if someone is charming it shows in the face right off the back. You don't have to dig deep to find the charm it invests in the face.
3:04 PM
"WITHIN my reach!
I could have touched!
I might have chanced that way!
Soft sauntered through the village,
Sauntered as soft away!
So unsuspected violets
Within the fields lie low,
Too late for striving fingers
That passed, an hour ago."
This poem is saying that a person is out getting so fresh air, enjoying life. Walking at a nice pace, watching the wind blow as they see the violet flowers lay low upon the fields. Its getting late as the sun goes down. Realizing it was all a dream!
4:13 PM
AT last to be identified!
At last, the lamps upon thy side,
The rest of life to see!
Past midnight, past the morning star!
Past sunrise! Ah! what leagues there are 5
Between our feet and day!
I think that the speaker is saying that he or she has finally been seen as a person. Like their personallity has finally been spotted by the world, or just a certain person. The speaker has waited for someone to "identify" them and they're kinda glad that even though it took a long time for them to be identified they are happy someone noticed them.
5:39 PM
YOU cannot put a fire out;
A thing that can ignite
Can go, itself, without a fan
Upon the slowest night.
You cannot fold a flood
And put it in a drawer,
Because the winds would find it out,
And tell your cedar floor.
I feel that the speaker is refering to a very determined person and how no matter who or what comes in their path, they will still succeed.
6:07 PM
ARE friends delight or pain?
Could bounty but remain
Riches were good.
But if they only stay
Bolder to fly away, 5
Riches are sad.
This poem is saying that friends can be either delightful or painful. When your friends stay with you through hard times having friends is a good thing. When they leave during those hard times than it can be a bad thing.
C.George
6:14 PM
A TOAD can die of light!
Death is the common right
Of toads and men,—
Of earl and midge
The privilege. 5
Why swagger then?
The gnat’s supremacy
Is large as thine.
I think the poem is saying that death dosen't care who you are. It doesn't care whether you're rich or poor and that your life isn't more important that anyone elses.
6:57 PM
AFTER a hundred years
Nobody knows the place,—
Agony, that enacted there,
Motionless as peace.
Weeds triumphant ranged, 5
Strangers strolled and spelled
At the lone orthography
Of the elder dead.
Winds of summer fields
Recollect the way,— 10
Instinct picking up the key
Dropped by memory.
to me this poem means that no matter how much a person knows, they will never know everything. no matter what they think of a single person will never be right because they will never know that person situation at all!!!!!
10:49 PM
How happy is the little stone
That rembles in the road alone
And doesn't care about careers
And exigencies never fears; whose Coat of element brown
A passing universe put on
And independent as the sun,
Associates or glows alone,
Fulfilling absolute decree
In casual simlicity.
I think this poem is saying that she is happy to be by herslef. That she enjoys not having to worry about the activity that happen outside of her walls. And that being indepentdent helps her advoid the comlexity of the world. Staying to herself makes it simple on her and that she is able to focus on herself in a way that she could never when others are around.
11:54 AM
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