Thursday, April 11, 2013

A to Z : Just lost, when I was saved! - Emily Dickinson

 It is week two of Arlee Bird's 2013 A to Z Challenge!  For the challenge (and National Poetry Month) I have decided to post a poem for each letter of the alphabet! 





Just lost, when I was saved!
Written by Emily Dickinson
http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2011/10/20/black-white_photograph_of_emily_dickinson-2dc338ce429db346c4a7dc252b1cc90b081586a0-s6-c10.jpg
Just lost, when I was saved!
Just felt the world go by!
Just girt me for the onset with Eternity,
When breath blew back,
And on the other side
I heard recede the disappointed tide!

Therefore, as One returned, I feel
Odd secrets of the line to tell!
Some Sailor, skirting foreign shores—
Some pale Reporter, from the awful doors
Before the Seal!

Next time, to stay!
Next time, the things to see
By Ear unheard,
Unscrutinized by Eye—

Next time, to tarry,
While the Ages steal—
Slow tramp the Centuries,
And the Cycles wheel!

5 comments:

  1. I think this is the first time I have read any Emily Dickinson, at least knowingly. Pretty powerful stuff!

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    1. yes, she has quite the "voice"-- it is easy to see why she's included in the cannon!

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  2. What a great way to combine Poetry Month with the A to Z challenge. This year I'm doing the Poem a Day Challenge (with Robert Brewer) as my Poetry Month "thing" but next year I may take a page from your book instead ;)

    This poem isn't one of my favourites, but I'm going to poke around your other entries and see if I can spot one that is ;)

    ~ Cori Vidae ~

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    1. Thanks, Cori! To be completely honest... Dickinson isn't my favorite. But, it felt wrong not to include at least one of her poems in the challenge! She's influenced the genre so much! But, I'm definitely more into the modern-prose-style poetry movement that's happening now.

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  3. Great pick for today. Dickenson never ceases to satisfy with her attention to cadence, word selection and wit.

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