tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post1067826040393278930..comments2024-03-27T11:02:20.107-07:00Comments on the prowling Bee: Angels, in the early morningSusan Kornfeldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-58414491090873168352022-05-29T12:03:14.092-07:002022-05-29T12:03:14.092-07:00In 1859 Amherst a lot of babies were born and a lo...In 1859 Amherst a lot of babies were born and a lot of people died. ED celebrated the births (buds) and grieved the deaths (parched flowers). In this poem a day is the elapsed time, and for a person's life birth to death is the elapsed time, but the poet sees these times analogously. Perhaps the death of her long-time gardener on August 16, 1859, induced the birth of this poem. “Old Amos” Newport (L49) was a grandson of Amos Newport, who was captured in Africa in 1715 at about age 10, transported to Newport, and sold to a farmer who lived near Amherst. “Old Amos” died at 84 and his grave lies a few yards northeast of ED’s in West Cemetery. Slavery was never outlawed by the State of Massachusetts, but, for many reasons, it gradually ended about 1800.Larry Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-76919815782835653782022-02-15T13:25:05.617-08:002022-02-15T13:25:05.617-08:00I like your idea of a third stanza here, but I thi...I like your idea of a third stanza here, but I think what would be lost, perhaps, is the stark contrast between the two stanzas, that contrast between sighing and smiling. As I read it, the angels enjoy their work, when they can, but still do the work when its hot and difficult, sighing, but doing it (I think of nurses here, for personal reasons). For me the order is important. It's because they can do it so happily in the dewy morning that they can endure in the hot desert. <br /><br />As for wondering if the buds really belong to them, I think of those earlier Dickinson poems about picking flowers as a kind of crime. Maybe picking flowers has something to do with stealing beauty, which, should belong to everyone. The angels are bringing them SOMEWHERE though, like Emily bringing her poems. d scribehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08242682202760522439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-38213560865406116562021-02-05T06:12:17.565-08:002021-02-05T06:12:17.565-08:00I really liked your interpretation of this poem, a...I really liked your interpretation of this poem, and of others as well! <br />I've been reading and writing down allnof Emily Dickinson's poems, as a way to improve my interpretation in English, and you've been helping me a lot, so thank you! mariaclaudiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07736992513261410984noreply@blogger.com