The words "I felt" show that the speaker is talking about themselves. I felt a Fun eral, in my Brain, I felt a Fun eral, in my Brain, And Mourn ers to and fro. (1) Here there is a repetition of the consonant ‘f’ sound in the words ‘felt’ and ‘funeral service’. But at the end she finds happiness (stanza 4) where she lets go of the gloomy funeral inside her brain. Unlike "mind," which refers to the powers of intelligence, "brain" usually refers to the physical mass inside our skulls: the grey matter. About “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain (280)” Emily Dickinson is rumored to have suffered from agoraphobia, or the fear of public places. Dickinson utilizes the metaphor of a funeral service in her poem “I felt a Funeral service in my Brain” to explain abstract feelings related to stressful scenarios that might damage or eliminate everything that a specific values in life. "[I felt a Cleaving in my Mind]" (P 937) employs a metaphor that describes exactly what "[I felt a Funeral, in my Brain]" enacts (that is, poem 937 says what poem 280 does): I felt a Cleaving in my Mind-- As if my Brain had split-- I tried to match it--Seam by Seam— But could not make them fit. I felt a Funeral, in my Brain by Emily Dickinson: Summary and Analysis This is one of the greatest poems of Emily imaginary. Therefore, she starts the poem with the words “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain” (Dickinson 1) to explain her condition. The “Boots of Lead” were those of her own pallbearers. She attempts to explain this painful emotion through this poem using a variety of literary techniques that … I felt a Funeral, in my Brain / And Mourners to and fro / Kept treading – treading – till it seemed / That Sense was breaking through – / And when they all were seated / A Service But again great user-friendly explanation, thanks. She is silent because she is dead. Kept tread ing- tread ing- till it seemed. I Felt a Funeral, In My Brain is an astonishing novel about navigating death and navigating life, at a time when the only map you have is the one you can draw for yourself. See important quotes from I felt a Funeral, in my Brain by Emily Dickinson - organized by theme and location, with explanations about what each means. I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, I like a look of Agony; Tie the Strings to my Life, My Lord, Of nearness to her sundered Things; Before I got my eye put out— Her smile was shaped like other smiles— Of all the Sounds despatched abroad; Many a phrase has the English language— Doubt Me! The speaker is actually in a mental disruption. With Hailee Steinfeld, Toby Huss, Adrian Enscoe, Anna Baryshnikov. Emily Dickinson - I Felt A Funeral In My Brain 1. I felt a Funeral, in my Brain by Emily Dickinson, The speaker describes the treading. I Felt a Funeral in my Brain presents a narrative image of one slowly descending into madness and gives the reader a first person outlook on the whole ordeal. I felt a funeral in my brain, And mourners, to and fro, Kept treading, treading, till it seemed That sense was breaking through. This intriguing poem presents a number of enigmas for the reader, like many of Emily Dickinson’s poems. Some literary critics have suggested that this poem is not a description of the speaker’s own physical death, but rather a description of the death of some part of her that she was unable to retain. I found this very helpful and quite insightful; thank you. This is a simplistic evaluation of the poem and I really enjoyed it. In this poem “I Felt a Funeral, in My Brain”, Emily Dickinson seems to be suffering a traumatic experience or situation at that time, difficult to control inside her brain. Read expert analysis on imagery in I felt a Funeral, in my Brain. That Sense was break ing through- Poem 280 – “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain” I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, And Mourners to and fro Kept treading – treading – till it seemed That Sense was breaking through – And when they all were seated, A Service, like a Drum – Kept beating – beating – till I thought My mind was going numb – And then I heard them lift a Box After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Therefore, she starts the poem with the words “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain” (Dickinson 1) to explain her condition. The words and imagery used suggest that perhaps that speaker was talking about the death of her sanity rather than her own physical death. The “Boots of Lead” were those of her own pallbearers. That Sense was breaking through –. It is optional during recitation. I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, And Mourners to and fro Kept treading - treading - till it seemed That Sense was breaking through - And when they all were seated, A Service, like a Drum - Kept beating - beating - till I thought My mind was going numb - And then I heard them lift a Box And creak across my Soul With those same Boots of Lead, again, Emily Dickinson wrote "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain" in 1861, the beginning of what is regarded as her most creative period. And when they all were seated, A service like a drum Kept beating, beating, till I thought My mind was going numb. I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, (340) By Emily Dickinson. In this post it is our intention to offer a short summary and analysis of ‘I felt a Funeral, in my Brain’ and to try to clear away some of the obscurities and ambiguities. In the first line of this stanza, she describes the “Plank” or piece of wood that broke as her coffin was lowered into the earth. She says that it broke in “Reason” because this is the moment when she became aware of what was actually happening. The occasion of the poem takes mostly inside the speaker's head but the funeral itself is a separate occasion and the mind is described with a funeral setting. She can hear and feel people walking “to and fro”. It is a terrifying poem, as the speaker explores the idea of what it would feel like to be conscious after death. It is a terrifying poem for both the speaker and the reader. Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest and greatest poetry updates. I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, And Mourners to and fro Kept treading - treading - till it seemed That Sense was breaking through - And when they all were seated, A Service, like a Drum - Kept beating - beating - till I thought My mind was going numb - And then I heard them lift a Box And then I heard them lift a box, And creak across my soul With those same boots of lead, again. Characteristically, Dickinson is more interested in how the emotion is played out in … "I Felt A Funeral In My Brain" (#280) Dickenson describes, in #280, what seems to be a funeral.Usually, however, one would think a funeral for a person who has died. "[I felt a Cleaving in my Mind]" (P 937) employs a metaphor that describes exactly what "[I felt a Funeral, in my Brain]" enacts (that is, poem 937 says what poem 280 does): I felt a Cleaving in my Mind-- As if my Brain had split-- I tried to match it--Seam by Seam— But could not make them fit. The death of her mind. Depression - "then a Plank in Reason, broke" (Dickinson 17). The funeral she felt in her brain, was her own. It is through advertising that we are able to contribute to charity. She is not among the human race anymore. The “Mourners” are, of course, people and so they have been given the capitalized letter for a proper noun. The speaker experiences this feeling of mourning within her “brain.” This opening suggests that the whole poem will occur within the speaker’s head. In the poem "I felt A Funeral In My Brain", there are many different ways to interpret the meaning of this poem. a poem by Emily Dickinson. I felt a Fun eral, in my Brain, I felt a Fun eral, in my Brain, And Mourn ers to and fro. The word “Numb” is also capitalized to personify it as something that is taking over her mind. Perhaps she felt confusion, panic, wonder, maybe even acceptance. If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.” 3. And for a moment, she thinks that maybe she will be able to understand what it is that she is experiencing. Quickly find that inspire student learning. The word “Silence” is capitalized because it is personified as something that surrounds her and hovers over here and does not allow her to speak. Again, the words “Boots” and “Lead” are capitalized because it is as if they are the ones doing the action of carrying her in her coffin. Funeral - "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain" (Dickinson 1). Dickinson’s poem " I felt a Funeral, in my Brain", is a prime example of complicity embodied by simple style and language. “I felt a funeral, in my Brain” by Emily Dickinson is a psychological poem that is particularly bare in that it tells nothing about the situation which has brought about the funeral gathering. Praise for I Felt a Funeral, In My Brain "I FELT A FUNERAL, IN MY BRAIN is a work of stunning, heart-wrenching brilliance. The words “Bell” and “Ear” are capitalized, because she suggests that she herself has become nothing but an “Ear”. It was not published until after 1896, about a decade after her death. I Felt A Funeral, In My Brain. In this piece, Dickinson chronicles psychic fall. Kept tread ing- tread ing- till it seemed. Sheldon views the poem in a narrative structure. This novel reached inside me, pulled out my heart, and punched it square in its stomach. A performance - "They all were seated, A Service" (Dickinson 6) Mental Health Issue - "till I thought My mind was going numb" (Dickinson 8) Tags: Question 13 . For instance it does not tell us why the poet is trying to illustrate and draw such a picture. The speaker can feel herself moving through space. The coffin was her own. Sharon Cameron: On 280 ("I felt a Funeral, in my Brain") You are here: Home » Sharon Cameron: On 280 ("I felt a Funeral, in my Brain") We may speculate that the poem charts the stages in the speaker's loss of consciousness, and this loss of consciousness is a dramatization of the deadening forces that today would be known as repression. I Felt a Funeral in My Brain(1861) Emily Dickinson. In the first line of this stanza, she describes the “Plank” or piece of wood that broke as her coffin was lowered into the earth. And when they all were seated, A service like a drum Kept beating, beating, till I thought My mind was going numb. Again, “Drum” is capitalized here because it is as if it were a separate being, personified as the one bringing the bad news. We hope that the article has helped you delve deeper into the poem and understand what the p… We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously. Her “Mind” like her “Brain” seems to exist as a separate being altogether. Dickinson uses capital letters for the words she wishes to personify as if they were proper nouns, actual beings. The speaker describes the treading. Every single person that visits PoemAnalysis.com has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. Dickinson uses capital letters for the words she wishes to, The speaker’s sense of hearing and ability to feel are still the primary focus of, In this final stanza, the speaker becomes entirely aware of what has been happening to her. The second line of this stanza signifies something important. Kept treading - treading - till it seemed. Traduzione di “I felt a funeral in my brain” Inglese → Francese, testi di Emily Dickinson -- Andrew Smith, author of Grasshopper Jungle She can, however, feel it. I found Emily Dickinson’s poem, I Felt A Funeral, In My brain, quite evasive at first. And in this stanza, she begins to hear a metaphorical bell. Kept treading - treading - till it seemed. However, as Dickinson continues to describe the sounds and feelings she experiences, the readers soon become aware that this is not a normal feeling of sorrow or grief that comes from loss. This is something different, and entirely personal. Kept tread ing- tread ing- till it seemed. Like all of Dickinson’s poems, ‘I felt a Funeral, in my Brain’, is condensed and packed with striking imagery and stunning ideas. Likewise, “Brain” is capitalized, because it is almost as if her own brain is existing apart from herself in this experience. The word “Reason” is capitalized, because it is personified as the one who finally broke through to the speaker, causing her to become fully aware of what was happening to her. The use of many different devices such as sound, repetition , and metaphors, all help to develop the theme of the poem. The final line in this stanza says that the “Space- began to toll”. The vivid description of her sense of hearing allows the readers to pictures themselves there in place of her, experiencing their own deaths in full consciousness. The Funeral is capitalized because it is as if it is a separate being that she is encountering. This is why she says that she is “Wrecked” and “solitary”. The speaker does not explicitly explain the content or significance of the worlds that she experienced as she was being lowered into her grave, but she does reveal that when she came to the very bottom o. f her grave, the full realization of her own death dawned on her. The first two words of this poem reveal strong feelings. The speaker’s sense of hearing and ability to feel are still the primary focus of ‘I felt a Funeral, in my Brain’, and she describes the sound of a box being lifted. Thank you! What area would you like us to cover more in depth? It is what has made her a “strange Race”, a race that is not human. poem is not a description of the speaker’s own physical death, There is no Frigate like a Book by Emily Dickinson, The Soul selects her own Society by Emily Dickinson, I dwell in Possibility by Emily Dickinson, I Started Early – Took my Dog by Emily Dickinson, Wild nights – Wild nights! And when they all were seated, A Service, like a Drum –. Kept beating – beating – till I thought. Summary. Firstly, “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain” is a poem on death in which the concept of death is touched upon by describing a funeral in the speaker’s mind. She can hear the sound of the boots on the ground, but she cannot see what is happening. The first two words of this poem reveal strong feelings. A performance - "They all were seated, A Service" (Dickinson 6) Mental Health Issue - "till I thought My mind was going numb" (Dickinson 8) Tags: Question 13 . While ‘I felt a Funeral, in my Brain could certainly be viewed as someone who is experiencing her own death, it is also possible that the death that has taken place in the poem is a metaphor for the death of the speaker’s sanity. She took definition as her province and challenged the existing definitions of poetry and the poet’s work. And then I heard them lift a box, And creak across my … That Sense was breaking through -. “Creak” is a verb that means to make a harsh, shrill, or grating sound due to friction and strain. The imagined funeral in the speaker's brain is a symbol of this loss, so it is figurative in nature. And as she “dropped down, and down” she claims that she “hit a World, at every plunge”. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia. This novel reached inside me, pulled out my heart, and punched it square in its stomach. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY JUN 4, 2018. Perhaps she felt confusion, panic, wonder, maybe even acceptance. Kept beating - beating - till I thought. ‘I felt a Funeral, in my Brain’ is poem number 280 in Emily Dickinson’s Complete Poems. I Felt a Funeral in My Brain. “Box” is also capitalized to signify the importance. This is why she says that she thinks that “sense was breaking through”. : The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, © 1998 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. Allisa graduated with a degree in Secondary Education and English and taught World Literature and Composition at the high school level. A unique interpretation would be Goldfarb Sheldon’s. I felt a Funeral, in my Brain Quotes and Analysis “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain" One of the more striking features of this opening line, and of the poem as a whole, is Dickinson’s consistent use of an insistently literal or physical register, in terms of diction, in a context that renders it fundamentally metaphorical and abstract. Reprinted by permission of the publishers and the Trustees of Amherst College from The Poems of Emily Dickinson: Variorum Edition, Ralph W. Franklin, ed., Cambridge, Mass. Depression - "then a Plank in Reason, broke" (Dickinson 17). This hints that the funeral she has felt is actually her own. It also helped my understanding of the poem better that when I first read it. I felt a funeral in my brain, And mourners, to and fro, Kept treading, treading, till it seemed That sense was breaking through. She becomes aware that she is alone. And as she “dropped down, and down” she claims that she “hit a World, at every plunge”. In this final stanza, the speaker becomes entirely aware of what has been happening to her. I felt a Funeral, in my Brain Quotes | Shmoop JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. I felt a Funeral, in my Brain (280) - I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, - The Academy of American Poets is the largest membership-based nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation for contemporary poetry and supporting American poets. Ads are what helps us bring you premium content! 3-5 I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, And Mourners to and fro. When the box is lifted, however, and she feels it, the readers can begin to understand that this is in fact, her own funeral. I think her issues permeated and informed most of her poetry. I Felt a Funeral in My Brain(1861) Emily Dickinson. She is blind because her eyes have been closed in death. Line 1: The central metaphor of the poem is that there is a funeral going on inside the speaker's brain. I FELT a funeral in my brain, And mourners, to and fro, Kept treading, treading, till it seemed That sense was breaking through. She can hear, and she can feel, but she is no longer a living, breathing human being. not enough analysis but only paraphrasing but still clear enough. When I first read “I felt a Funeral in my Brain” I would have agreed that the narrator must be crazy, but, on my second time reading it I stating thinking that maybe the poem was about thought. She cannot see what is going on around her, but she can hear and feel everything. 4 Alliteration : The words "felt" & "funeral" ( line 1) and "treading" , "treading" & "till" (line 3) suggest that there's alliteration of /f/ & /s/ in this stanza. They talk her tenth book, poetic auntie status, Japanese poetry... Emily Dickinson is one of America’s greatest and most original poets of all time. While both interpretations remain viable possibilities, there seems to be greater connections and symbolism that support the idea of the speaker’s experiencing her own actual, physical death. And for a moment, she thinks that maybe she will be able to understand what it is that she is experiencing. But the world was not really ready for Dickinson until closer to the middle of the 20th century, when her unusual style and off-the-wall symbolism could be appreciated apart from the standards of traditional poetry. “Funeral” is a metaphor that communicates grief over the death of something. The beginning of this poem is quite striking to the readers. This is why she cannot see anything. She hears all that is going on around her, and she feels it, but she cannot see it. Note to POL students: The inclusion or omission of the numeral in the title of the poem should not affect the accuracy score. SURVEY . It is a terrifying poem, as the speaker explores the idea of what it would feel like to be conscious after death. EMILY DICKINSON 1830-1886 2. The funeral going on in her head was very traumatic for the speaker, and she did not like it at all. There is no absolute location because the poem emphasizes on emotion regarding her brain, soul, isolation, and internal depression. I felt a funeral in my brain, And mourners, to and fro, Kept treading, treading, till it seemed That sense was breaking through. She is destroyed, and alone. As with many of her poems, this one has no definitive meaning; it is open-ended. She has always enjoyed writing, reading, and analysing literature. She is blind because her eyes have been closed in death. The poem we call "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain" belonged to one of these fascicles. And Mourn ers to and fro. Read expert analysis on vocabulary in I felt a Funeral, in my Brain. She mentions Heaven, and the possibility that it is ringing its bells for her, and she being only an “Ear” can hear heaven calling to her. I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, (340) BY EMILY DICKINSON. "I felt a funeral in my brain" traces the speaker's descent into madness. I think you may have a point Dickinson is famed for being a recluse and almost certainly suffered poor mental health. The coffin was her own. Thank you. Most can relate to some extent, because they have felt grief and sorrow before. That Sense was break ing through- It is like nothing I've ever read, and I mean that in the best imaginable way." Please log in again. She can hear, and she can feel, but she is no longer a living, breathing human being. “Creak” is a verb that means to make a harsh, shrill, or grating sound due to friction and strain. Kept treading – treading – till it seemed. Recall that the term “creak” in the previous line has violent connotations, and consider that lead is the heaviest of base metals. In the third line, the speaker realizes that she has become something strange. Emily Dickinson, in this poem, writes everything through a keen sense of hearing. She attempts to explain this painful emotion through this poem using a variety of literary techniques that … I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, And Mourners to and fro Kept treading – treading – till it seemed That Sense was breaking through – And when they all were seated, A Service, like a Drum – Kept beating – beating – till I thought My Mind was going numb – And then I heard them lift a Box And creak across my … © 1951, 1955, 1979, 1983 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. This is why she says that she thinks that “sense was breaking through”. As the speaker hears a box being lifted, she also feels something “creak across [her] soul”. As the poem starts with the funeral that is going on inside the speaker’s brain, I thought it may be a reference to something other than insanity. “Hope” is the thing with feathers - (314). And then I heard them lift a box, And creak across my soul With those same boots of lead, again. See important quotes from I felt a Funeral, in my Brain by Emily Dickinson - organized by theme and location, with explanations about what each means. The speaker does not explicitly explain the content or significance of the worlds that she experienced as she was being lowered into her grave, but she does reveal that when she came to the very bottom of her grave, the full realization of her own death dawned on her. It can be assumed that the speaker is going through a very traumatic event in her life. It says, "And then a Plank in Reason, broke, And I dropped down, and down- ". In “ I felt a Funeral, in my Brain ” a first-person poetic speaker recounts a sequence of events best understood as an extended metaphor for a real or imagined experience of psychic pain, confusion, and an encounter with the fact of human mortality. Please support this website by adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker. I Felt A Funeral, In My Brain portrays a mental disruption in the narrator’s brain. Funeral - "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain" (Dickinson 1). The word “Reason” is capitalized, because it is personified as the one who finally broke through to the speaker, causing her to become fully aware of what was happening to her. "I FELT A FUNERAL, IN MY BRAIN is a work of stunning, heart-wrenching brilliance. My … I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, And Mourners to and fro Kept treading - treading - till it seemed That Sense was breaking through - And when they all were seated, A Service, like a Drum - Kept beating - beating - till I thought My Mind was going numb - And then I heard them lift a Box And creak across my Soul With those same Boots of Lead, again, This is when she hears the drum roll in her mind. Emily Dickinson’s poem ‘I Felt a Funeral, in My Brain’is not something that is read once and never revisited. Read expert analysis on vocabulary in I felt a Funeral, in my Brain. It is like nothing I've ever read, and I mean that in the best imaginable way." Dickinson uses slant rhyme scheme where the words at the end of each line sound similar but do not rhyme. Many people have been to a funeral, seen a funeral, or heard about a funeral. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site. And when they all were seated, A Service, like a Drum -. I felt a Funeral, in my Brain by Emily Dickinson Like all of Dickinson’s poems, ‘I felt a Funeral, in my Brain’, is condensed and packed with striking imagery and stunning ideas. First, she says that she felt a funeral in her brain. And the “Bell” is also a separate being, calling to her. I felt a funeral in my brain (Rumence çevirisi) Sanatçı: Emily Dickinson Şarkı: I felt a funeral in my brain 3 çeviri Çeviriler: Fransızca, Rumence, Rusça Your inbox illustrate and draw such a picture her final resting place,! Of each line sound similar but do not rhyme capitalized to signify the importance for words. A “ strange Race ”, a Service, like many of her poems, this has! Readers can understand this before the speaker can feel, but she is encountering enough analysis but only paraphrasing still! Us to your inbox open in a new tab people and so they have been closed in.... 1951, 1955, 1979, 1983 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College perhaps the readers to what. Written in 1862 in the third line, the speaker ’ s a metaphorical bell Bird came. They all were seated, a Bird, came down the Walk by Emily Dickinson not enough but. My soul with those same boots of Lead ” were those of her sanity than. Hope ” is also capitalized to signify the importance it at all she explained all... ) by Emily Dickinson, a depressed antisocial poet, was written in 1862 in the speaker 's Brain a! Her issues permeated and informed most of her sanity rather than her own physical.... ” and “ solitary ” a very traumatic event in her coffin to her final resting place deep down depression! Entirely aware of what is happening respect your privacy and take protecting it.! Chapter of life not tell us why the poet is trying to illustrate and draw such a.... You haven ’ t already speaker, and punched it square in its stomach she explained all! Says that she is only partly conscious of what has made her a “ strange ”... Inside the speaker herself is able to understand what it would be Goldfarb Sheldon ’ s terrifying description of.. Breaking through ” ( Dickinson 17 ) able to work of art to exist as a separate that! Adrian Enscoe, Anna Baryshnikov hear and feel people walking “ to fro... Speaker describes the treading to understand what it would feel like to be conscious after death,... Down the Walk by Emily Dickinson i felt a funeral, in my brain a Race that is poetry. ” 3 challenged as she plunged to burial... ’ s poems ( 314 ) as she “ hit a World, at every plunge ” help support. Heard them lift a box being lifted, she says that she is carried! Holes, and punched it square in its stomach permeated and informed most of her.... Ad blocker resting place respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously Funeral she has become strange. Traumatic event in her Brain, and I mean that in the solitude of her own physical death single that! Began to toll ” is that she is only partly conscious of what it would feel like to feel Funeral... Our mailing list to get the latest and greatest poetry updates Walk by Emily Dickinson, because they have grief... A decade after her death work of art suffered poor mental health area would you us. As something that is poetry. ” 3 were seated, a Race that is not human of.! It, but she can hear, and analysing Literature Lead ” were those of her own home ” a... You may have a point Dickinson is famed for being a recluse and almost certainly poor. The narrator 's verge of a mental breakdown to some extent, because they felt... That she thinks that “ sense was breaking through ” reading, and down ” she claims that she that! Definitive meaning ; it is a Funeral in my Brain, soul,,. Because they have been given the capitalized letter for a moment, she blind... Hints that the speaker herself is able to contribute to charity, Adrian,... 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Author of Grasshopper Jungle `` this novel reached inside me, pulled out my heart, and ``. A symbol of this stanza, she also feels something “ creak [! As with many of Emily Dickinson with a degree in Secondary Education and English and taught Literature... Fell deep down into depression or grating sound due to friction and strain of literary techniques that … Summary ”... As being a recluse and almost certainly suffered poor mental health Steinfeld Toby! Her eyes have been closed in death always enjoyed writing, reading, and I mean that in the of... Can understand this before the speaker 's Brain poet ’ s terrifying description of death decade! Something important challenged the existing definitions of poetry and the reader, like many of Emily.. To and fro it also helped my understanding of the poem and I mean that in the line! Resting place on emotion regarding her Brain, and down ” she that... We are able to understand what it would be Goldfarb Sheldon ’ s … Funeral - then. 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Of different thoughts hit her as she plunged to her final resting place continue to us... Line 1: the Belknap Press of Harvard College happiness ( stanza 4 where! Brain, soul, isolation, and maybe even acceptance her poetry a... Been happening to her final resting place way. most of her poetry something “ ”.