Nick Courtright is the Executive Editor of Atmosphere Press, an author-friendly publisher, and an acclaimed English professor. Learn more at atmospherepress.com, and nickcourtright.com!
A story narrated after death “when I died”. Telling a story after death, as how she saw her life escaping without knowing where she might be going. But everyone chooses to see what they want to see.
Thank you so much for this! I have an assignment to analyze a poem by Emily Dickinson and this one caught my eye and you`ve perfectly explained why! Also, bloody brilliant observations mate!
Stanza one provides the setting in a pair of contrasts. First, the sound of the “Fly” buzzing is contrasted with the “Stillness in the Room.” This opening contrast immediately sets up the tension felt by both the speaker and the mourners gathered at her bedside. The fly disrupts a moment of peace which is not permanent; the fleeting moment indicated by the second contrast of the stanza in the form of a simile, stating the “Stillness in the Air” is “Between the Heaves of Storm -.” The violent image created in the last line of the stanza, a raging storm, suggests this moment is not easy for all involved. As with all of her poems, the capitalization helps us focus on the important words, further highlighting the contrasts. Look at the capitalized words in the second stanza-“Eyes,” “Breaths,” “Onset,” “King,” and “Room” -and consider how they continue to develop the setting. Who is the “King”? In the third stanza, a deathbed ritual-giving away one’s possessions (this ritual again emphasized through capitalization of “Assignable”) is interrupted by the “Fly.” The fly’s presence leading to the climax here as it “interposed,” coming between the speaker and the spiritual light of heaven with an “uncertain” and “stumbling” buzz. Notice the additional emphasis (through the alliterating heavy “b” sound) on the capitalized words in stanza four-“Blue,” “Buzz,” and “Between.” The fly reminds us that the spirit (or soul) is not “Assignable” before allowing the speaker to depart for the afterlife as a final capitalization shows the “Windows failed.”
I too found humor in this poem, while others attempt to try to darken this poem, she even mentions the "light"..always wondered if I was the only one...
In college (I am a boomer).. no internet.. and no cliff notes...and I had NO idea what this poem was about but I did say.... all the great things people can do throughout their lives.. it all boils down to dying... but like the sun rising the next morning... a stupid fly of all things is buzzing around which catches the ear... futility of life in general... or once the light goes out, the fly is still buzzing.
