by Emily Dickinson
My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun -
In Corners - till a Day
The Owner passed - identified -
And carried Me away –
And now We roam in Sovreign Woods -
And now We hunt the Doe -
And every time I speak for Him
The Mountains straight reply –
And do I smile, such cordial light
Opon the Valley glow -
It is as a Vesuvian face
Had let it’s pleasure through –
And when at Night - Our good Day done -
I guard My Master’s Head -
’Tis better than the Eider Duck’s
Deep Pillow - to have shared –
To foe of His - I’m deadly foe -
None stir the second time -
On whom I lay a Yellow Eye -
Or an emphatic Thumb –
Though I than He - may longer live
He longer must - than I -
For I have but the power to kill,
Without - the power to die –
Thesis: Dickenson uses personification, metaphors, and imagery to portray the intricacy of life and death.
After first reading/hearing this poem what do you think the narrator is trying to portray?
Does the mood or tone of the poem change throughout the stanzas?
How can separate lines as well as the whole poem be considered a metaphor?
Are there any other ways to perceive this poem other than the literal way?
What do you think Dickenson is trying to make the reader think about life and death?
Is there any stanza that you feel has the most emotion or meaning behind it? Why?
1) After first reading this poem, I had thought the narrator was trying to portray life and death. Looking at it again, it can be about a gun and the 'powers' it holds.
ReplyDelete2) I feel that mood of the poem does change throughout the poem. At first it goes on to talk about the gun and what it does, and how people use it. Later on in the poem, it goes on to describe how the gun can be used, and what it has the ability to do.
3) The entire poem could be considered a metaphor as the gun could be there in place of meaning something else. It could signify the life and death of something. It could signify immorality. As well, in the poem, there are seperate lines which are metaphorical.