tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post1749643026136709625..comments2024-03-29T00:07:13.458-07:00Comments on the prowling Bee: "Hope" is the thing with feathers—Susan Kornfeldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-40003816091428321732023-05-12T15:31:15.428-07:002023-05-12T15:31:15.428-07:00The optimism in this poem tells me ED may have bee...The optimism in this poem tells me ED may have been deeply depressed at times but never a serious contender for death by suicide: <br /><br />“I've heard it [hope] in the chillest land [deepest depression]— / And in the strangest Sea [my most bizarre moods] / Yet—never—in Extremity [It always] / It asked a crumb—of Me. [is present in my soul]”<br /><br />She and we are lucky for the power of her will to live. Many post-romantic poets have trod a different path.<br />Larry Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-91988158888367814782022-09-30T17:44:29.020-07:002022-09-30T17:44:29.020-07:00YES! YES! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-24597363184733115382022-09-30T16:58:36.099-07:002022-09-30T16:58:36.099-07:00I agree -- great connection. Some 'Anonymous&#...I agree -- great connection. Some 'Anonymous' person should write it up!Susan Kornfeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-67229572806806906052022-09-30T14:23:39.752-07:002022-09-30T14:23:39.752-07:00I think he MUST have been referencing ED! What a c...I think he MUST have been referencing ED! What a connection (I should point out it’s a different Anonymous who made the connection). I know they have/ had Amherst in common, but is there any documentation of Frost reading Dickinson? Though of course it would have been the bowdlerized version…Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-82603112230181783072022-09-30T13:23:22.350-07:002022-09-30T13:23:22.350-07:00And I take that to be a good thing....
I wonder i...And I take that to be a good thing.... <br />I wonder if Frost was referencing this poem in his.<br />Thanks for this!Susan Kornfeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-68372689573137012662022-09-30T10:31:28.447-07:002022-09-30T10:31:28.447-07:00ex. B:
He would declare and could himself believe
...ex. B:<br />He would declare and could himself believe<br />That the birds there in all the garden round<br />From having heard the daylong voice of Eve<br />Had added to their own an oversound,<br />Her *tone of meaning but without the words.*<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-6882270874441249762022-09-29T22:09:39.960-07:002022-09-29T22:09:39.960-07:00Except that Hope is warming -- its tune may have n...Except that Hope is warming -- its tune may have no words but it creates a positive feeling. I imagine the poetry springs from that -- the words come because the thing with feathers is so tuneful. the 'meek members' seem to have no such warmth, nor words.Susan Kornfeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-66515501511980663012022-09-27T20:18:04.740-07:002022-09-27T20:18:04.740-07:00As I see it, the most compelling evidence that thi...As I see it, the most compelling evidence that this poem might often be misunderstood, and is possibly more skeptical irony than straightforward praise (the latter causing people to ink opon themselves the aforementioned tattoos of birds) is that "Hope" is in quotation marks - not to mention, as the comment above does: the tune being without words - when words meant so much to ED- and stood for meaning. Might this "No-Hoper" have used "Hope" to describe the practice of "the meek members of the Resurrection?"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-86874716596988229992022-09-27T17:57:46.853-07:002022-09-27T17:57:46.853-07:00Omg thank you for replying, you are a poetry-unpac...Omg thank you for replying, you are a poetry-unpacking god to me. Well, short of a lengthy exegesis, the interesting thing is the 1860s usage of the word ‘hope,’ which I really think denoted ‘unseeing faith in god,’ tune without words, if you will, uninterrogatable, asking not a thing, yadda. I mean, how likely is someone literally denounced as a no hoper to write a poem that correctly interpreted results in tens of thousands of people to get bird tattoos? I think those tattoos are probably in error.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-68387640456297785812022-09-26T20:07:47.661-07:002022-09-26T20:07:47.661-07:00Sorry -- falling well behind on just going one by ...Sorry -- falling well behind on just going one by one through the poems. But I encourage you to take a stab at it and post it here! Sounds very interesting!Susan Kornfeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-951990875011718542022-09-26T16:12:27.910-07:002022-09-26T16:12:27.910-07:00Hi. Wonder if you’d ever consider an unpacking of ...Hi. Wonder if you’d ever consider an unpacking of what might be considered the ‘Hope Trilogy’ - this one, ‘Hope is a strange invention,’ and ‘Hope is a subtle glutton.’ Would love to hear your thoughts on…what is going on here, haha, these do not strike me as unabashedly pro Hope pieces!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-46930659511277789192019-08-29T22:39:44.869-07:002019-08-29T22:39:44.869-07:00Thank you, Laura for this and other kind comments!...Thank you, Laura for this and other kind comments!Susan Kornfeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-68882998863682719432019-08-29T22:29:44.870-07:002019-08-29T22:29:44.870-07:00Your dedication is amazing, and i love that you an...Your dedication is amazing, and i love that you answer questions so generously.<br /><br />This poem has always been a favorite. Indeed, she was lucky to believe that hope would always sing in her life—a free and generous gift!Laura Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07410854758145970969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-20724903995226115022016-06-18T17:01:52.358-07:002016-06-18T17:01:52.358-07:00Hi Ali - the first step in that stanza is to turn ...Hi Ali - the first step in that stanza is to turn it into 'normal' English. Dickinson here as in most other poems simply leaves out words or changes normal order. If I work to do that I get: <br /><br />The bird sings most sweetly in a gale.<br />It would have to be a very severe storm<br />That could quiet the little bird<br />Whose song has warmed so many people.<br /><br />Look it over and see if you agree with my interpretation.Susan Kornfeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-57824636656950579612016-06-18T16:36:02.891-07:002016-06-18T16:36:02.891-07:00Can you please explain the second stanza? Thanks. ...Can you please explain the second stanza? Thanks. AliAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05806563358745906344noreply@blogger.com