tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post1189286339912469120..comments2024-03-29T06:02:33.720-07:00Comments on the prowling Bee: New feet within my garden go—Susan Kornfeldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-48592991337839055362022-06-05T15:38:24.132-07:002022-06-05T15:38:24.132-07:00The first six lines:
On August 16, 1859, ED’s anc...The first six lines:<br /><br />On August 16, 1859, ED’s ancient African-American gardener, “Old Amos”, died at 84 (‘Went up a year this evening’), but his new grandchild, Dwight Newport, arrived that same year, destined to become a sports trainer at Amherst College for 25 years and father of his successor, Edward Newport, who held the same position and worked for the College for 50 years. Today there is a 19th-century dormitory at the College, Newport Hall, named in their honor. Songbirds may interrupt the solitude of her garden, but the cycle of life continues.<br /><br />The last two lines:<br /><br />Winter and spring of 1859 in Amherst were unusually warm; farmers and gardeners plowed in March and planted potatoes early. By the end of May, three weeks after average last frost, corn was two weeks ahead of schedule, and ED’s annuals promised early bouquets. During the night of June 11, a light frost did little harm. Without reliable forecasts, Amherst could not know that the night of June 12 would bring a hard frost and convert ED’s promising flower beds into a cemetery decorated with hoarfrost (‘Delayed till she had ceased to know’). ED was so angry, she threatened to sue God (‘I had some things that I called mine’). BYU’s ED Lexicon lists two appropriate definitions for the descriptor “pensive” as regards the spring of 1859: unconcerned and indifferent. Given the previous spring, ED was certain that her least favorite season, winter, would arrive punctually. By gar (Shakespeare, ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’), if Fate handed out lemons, ED would retaliate with lemon-flavored poems.<br />Larry Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-41674308995163380642019-11-15T14:57:05.843-08:002019-11-15T14:57:05.843-08:00Nice thanksNice thanksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-49483481492621899142018-02-28T14:02:11.242-08:002018-02-28T14:02:11.242-08:00Her work is so amazing. it is cool how she can cha...Her work is so amazing. it is cool how she can change meanings of words with ease.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-88078752149769123502018-01-30T17:49:18.498-08:002018-01-30T17:49:18.498-08:00wow! really amazing!wow! really amazing!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-50832774716830565642013-03-22T18:13:42.543-07:002013-03-22T18:13:42.543-07:00Yes -- entirely agree. And I hadn't thought ab...Yes -- entirely agree. And I hadn't thought about the doubled meaning of Spring. Thanks. Susan Kornfeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-75685443395045327642013-03-22T15:19:28.406-07:002013-03-22T15:19:28.406-07:00"And still the punctual snow!" is such a... "And still the punctual snow!" is such a beautiful line. "And still" conveys eternity; "punctual" conveys what changes, what dies. All of life in one line. <br /><br /> And I agree -- "pensive Spring" is so beautiful too. Sometimes the juxtaposition of words sends off sparks. Pensive means resting, sad and thoughtful and contrasts with the vitality of Spring -- maybe what Spring would feel like from the perspective of eternity. But the words also remind me of "pent" and "coiled" -- energy about to be released. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com