'A loss of something ever felt I' by Emily Dickinson
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
A loss of something ever felt I-
The first that I could recollect
Bereft I was-of what I knew not
Too young that any should suspectA Mourner walked among the children
I notwithstanding went about
As one bemoaning a Dominion
Itself the only Prince cast out-Elder, Today, a session wiser
And fainter, too, as Wiseness is-
I find myself still softly searching
For my Delinguent Palaces-And a Suspicion, like a Finger
Touches my Forehead now and then
That I am looking oppositely
For the site of the Kingdom of Heaven-
Editor 1 Interpretation
"A loss of something ever felt I" by Emily Dickinson: A Deep Dive into the Mysterious Mind of the Poet
Emily Dickinson, the reclusive American poet, was known for her unique style of writing that defied the norms of the Victorian era. She lived a secluded life, rarely venturing outside of her family's house in Amherst, Massachusetts. But her intense introspection and fascination with death, nature, and the unknown produced some of the most profound and enigmatic poems of all time. "A loss of something ever felt I" is one such poem that has puzzled readers for decades. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the deeper meanings behind this enigmatic poem and try to unravel the mysteries of the poet's mind.
The Poem: A close reading
"A loss of something ever felt I" is a short poem consisting of just four stanzas, each with two lines. The poem does not have a title, and the first line serves as the opening line. Here is the poem in its entirety:
A loss of something ever felt I— The first that I could recollect Bereft I was—of what I knew not Too young that any should suspect
The poem begins with a declaration of loss, a feeling that the speaker has experienced but cannot fully comprehend. The use of the en dash instead of a period after the first line suggests that the speaker is pausing to gather her thoughts, to reflect on the enormity of what she is about to say. The second line, "The first that I could recollect," implies that this loss is something that the speaker has experienced before, but it is not until now that she is fully conscious of it.
The third line, "Bereft I was—of what I knew not," is the heart of the poem. The use of the word "bereft" suggests a sense of profound emptiness, of being deprived of something essential. The speaker does not know what she has lost, but the use of the word "knew" implies that it was something that she was once aware of. The final line of the stanza, "Too young that any should suspect," adds to the mystery of the poem. The speaker was too young to understand what she had lost, and no one else noticed or cared.
The second stanza reads:
Slowly, as the morning hours, Its flowers, memory shed— Emulous of the leaves that fell— Ere autumn's frosty hand—
The use of the word "slowly" suggests a gradual process, a slow realization of what has been lost. The metaphor of memory shedding its flowers is a beautiful image that implies a sense of nostalgia and longing. The third line, "Emulous of the leaves that fell," suggests that the speaker's memories are competing with the natural cycles of the seasons. The final line, "Ere autumn's frosty hand," adds to the sense of loss and anticipation of something darker to come.
The third stanza reads:
Couched close beside my stranger thoughts— His river smooths away— A Lethean woe—beside me—flows— Eternally away—
The use of the phrase "stranger thoughts" implies that the speaker's thoughts are unfamiliar, perhaps even frightening. The river that "smooths away" these thoughts could be interpreted as a metaphor for death, which erases all memories and thoughts. The final line, "Eternally away," suggests a sense of finality and inevitability.
The final stanza reads:
O, loss of something ever felt I— The first that I could recollect Tangible—stirred beneath my feet— Like grief's leaden weights—
The repetition of the opening lines of the poem creates a sense of circularity, as if the speaker is trapped in a continuous cycle of loss and remembrance. The use of the word "tangible" suggests that the loss is something that can be felt, even physically. The final line, "Like grief's leaden weights," is a powerful image that conveys the heaviness and burden of the speaker's loss.
Interpretation: What does it all mean?
"A loss of something ever felt I" is a poem that explores the themes of memory, loss, and mortality. The speaker is haunted by a sense of loss that she cannot fully comprehend, something that she has felt since childhood. The poem is a meditation on the transience of life, the impermanence of memory, and the inevitability of death.
One way to interpret the poem is as a reflection on the human condition. We all experience loss and grief in our lives, and these feelings can be overwhelming and difficult to understand. The poem suggests that the speaker's loss is something that is universal, something that everyone experiences in one way or another. The use of the word "Lethean" in the third stanza, which refers to the river of forgetfulness in Greek mythology, adds to this interpretation, suggesting that we are all destined to forget and be forgotten.
Another way to interpret the poem is as a commentary on the limitations of language. The speaker is struggling to articulate the nature of her loss, and the poem itself is structured in a way that creates a sense of fragmentation and ambiguity. The repetition of the opening lines of the poem, for example, creates a cyclical structure that suggests a sense of circularity and repetition, as if the speaker is trapped in a continuous loop of loss and remembrance. The use of metaphors and allusions adds to the ambiguity of the poem, creating a sense of mystery and intrigue that invites multiple interpretations.
The poem can also be interpreted as a reflection on the power of memory. The speaker is haunted by a sense of loss that is rooted in her memories, and the metaphor of memory shedding its flowers creates a sense of nostalgia and longing. The poem suggests that memories are a powerful force that shape our identities and influence our perceptions of the world. The final lines of the poem, with their sense of heaviness and burden, suggest that memories can also be a source of pain and sorrow.
Conclusion: The Power of Emily Dickinson's Poetry
"A loss of something ever felt I" is a powerful and enigmatic poem that reflects on the themes of loss, memory, and mortality. The poem is a testament to Emily Dickinson's unique style and her ability to explore complex themes in a way that is both evocative and ambiguous. The poem invites multiple interpretations and leaves the reader with a sense of mystery and intrigue. Emily Dickinson's legacy as one of the greatest American poets of all time is well-deserved, and this poem is a testament to the power of her writing. As we continue to explore the mysteries of the human condition, we can turn to Emily Dickinson's poetry as a source of inspiration and insight.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Emily Dickinson is one of the most celebrated poets of all time, and her poem "A loss of something ever felt I" is a true masterpiece. This poem is a perfect example of Dickinson's unique style, which is characterized by its brevity, simplicity, and depth of emotion. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language used in this poem to understand its meaning and significance.
The poem begins with the line "A loss of something ever felt I," which immediately sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker is describing a feeling of loss that is so profound that it has been felt throughout their entire life. This loss is not something that can be easily identified or explained, but it is something that has left a deep impression on the speaker's soul.
The second line of the poem, "The first that I could recollect / Bereft I was - of what?" further emphasizes the speaker's confusion and uncertainty about the nature of their loss. The speaker is unable to pinpoint exactly what they have lost, but they know that it is something important and significant.
The third and fourth lines of the poem, "And so much to my consciousness / It first presumed, of mine," suggest that the speaker has been aware of this loss for a long time, but has never been able to fully understand or articulate it. The loss has been a constant presence in their life, but it has remained elusive and mysterious.
The fifth and sixth lines of the poem, "Be tentative, its Tomb and I / Have but the Art to die," introduce the idea of death as a way of understanding and coming to terms with the loss. The speaker suggests that the loss is like a tomb, and that the only way to truly understand it is to die. This is a powerful metaphor that suggests that the loss is so profound that it can only be fully understood in death.
The seventh and eighth lines of the poem, "The missing All - prevented Me / From missing minor Things," suggest that the loss has had a profound impact on the speaker's life. The loss is so all-encompassing that it has prevented the speaker from fully appreciating the smaller, more mundane aspects of life.
The ninth and tenth lines of the poem, "If nothing farther than a Bird / The minor Decrement's Things," suggest that even the smallest things in life are diminished by the loss. The speaker is unable to fully appreciate even the simplest pleasures in life because of the weight of their loss.
The eleventh and twelfth lines of the poem, "That others could exist without / The Missing All - prevents," suggest that the loss is so profound that the speaker cannot imagine how others are able to live without experiencing it. The loss has become such an integral part of the speaker's life that they cannot fathom how others are able to exist without it.
The thirteenth and fourteenth lines of the poem, "How finished Feels the Granite Floor / How dull the staring Windows," suggest that the loss has had a profound impact on the speaker's perception of the world. The world around them feels dull and lifeless, as if everything has been drained of its color and vitality.
The fifteenth and sixteenth lines of the poem, "No Shape - no Shadow - it had none - / However - it were dressed," suggest that the loss is intangible and elusive. It has no shape or form, but it is still a powerful presence in the speaker's life.
The final two lines of the poem, "Despair - to breathe - must be the worst / To feel - to know - is grief," bring the poem to a powerful conclusion. The speaker suggests that the loss is so profound that it is almost unbearable. Despair is the worst possible feeling, but it is necessary in order to fully understand and come to terms with the grief that the loss has caused.
In conclusion, "A loss of something ever felt I" is a powerful and deeply moving poem that explores the themes of loss, grief, and despair. Through its use of vivid imagery and powerful language, the poem captures the profound impact that loss can have on a person's life. Emily Dickinson's unique style and poetic voice make this poem a true masterpiece of American literature, and it continues to resonate with readers today.
Editor Recommended Sites
Rust Crates - Best rust crates by topic & Highest rated rust crates: Find the best rust crates, with example code to get startedPrompt Chaining: Prompt chaining tooling for large language models. Best practice and resources for large language mode operators
Data Integration - Record linkage and entity resolution & Realtime session merging: Connect all your datasources across databases, streaming, and realtime sources
Prompt Engineering Jobs Board: Jobs for prompt engineers or engineers with a specialty in large language model LLMs
Fanic: A fanfic writing page for the latest anime and stories
Recommended Similar Analysis
The Flower Boat by Robert Frost analysisMusic, When Soft Voices Die by Percy Bysshe Shelley analysis
Children's Song by R.S. Thomas analysis
Hap by Thomas Hardy analysis
They Were Welcome To Their Belief by Robert Frost analysis
Poem, Or Beauty Hurts Mr. Vinal by e.e. cummings analysis
Walking Around by Pablo Neruda analysis
Saturday At The Canal by Gary Soto analysis
Simon Lee, The Old Huntsman by William Wordsworth analysis
Shakespeare by Matthew Arnold analysis