tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post8382125641077781590..comments2024-03-28T14:04:54.557-07:00Comments on the prowling Bee: Is Bliss then, such AbyssSusan Kornfeldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-69538294515130154172023-07-03T16:10:21.196-07:002023-07-03T16:10:21.196-07:00By 1862, ED’s lesbian days with Sue were fond memo...By 1862, ED’s lesbian days with Sue were fond memories (or in hiatus, stay tuned, all things are possible). By this date, ED has betrothed herself to poetry, though in 1877 her chastity was vigorously tested by an offer/proposal from retired and recently widowed, Massachusetts Supreme Court Judge, Otis Phillips Lord. She decided to spare the boots and turned him down. If Charles Wadsworth had stayed on the East Coast, her decision might have been different, but that dilemma never happened.Larry Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02810899482852120751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-42153832577341316092023-04-04T17:53:37.263-07:002023-04-04T17:53:37.263-07:00Also worth pointing out I think that feet, both me...Also worth pointing out I think that feet, both metrical and actual, are a feature of the poem following this one in the fascicle. "After Great pain a formal feeling comes"..."The feet mechanical go round". Metrical and human feet are synonymous. <br /><br />In this one there might be some playing around with this idea too. <br /><br />It's pretty "messy" in it's metrical structure, the feet all over the place.<br /><br />3/4/3 3/2/4/2/2 3/2/3/4/3/2 with some heavy Spondee and Dactyl action thrown into the iambs. d scribehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08242682202760522439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-8933634575123356922023-04-04T16:23:40.161-07:002023-04-04T16:23:40.161-07:00This one is a puzzler. I saw one interpretation on...<br /><br />This one is a puzzler. I saw one interpretation online, a full paper, arguing for foot as female penis and boot as vagina! <br /><br />Well, just to attempt a more literal interpretation. I want to take this to mean the general idea of "getting your feet dirty" for the joy of going out in the rain on a muddy day, or something like that. The abyss is mud. We find out in last stanza that there is a "a crossing over" perhaps to a lover, to bliss. It is a messy business. (Maybe this was an invite to Sue to cross over from the Evergreens on a rainy, muddy day, or a self-directive to the poet to cross TO the Evergreens?) Why not make the trek, it seems to ask. You can buy more boots, but you can't buy more bliss. (Go out into the mud!) <br /><br />The verdict for boot is hard to parse. It seems to me to be a reversal of the conclusion that boots are cheap and plentiful, but bliss is rare and you can only have it once in the singular moment (I love that the patent has been lost.) So I think verdict for the boot has some sarcasm in it. Like, you silly people (silly Sue? silly Emily? silly reader?) who are making the judgement to keep your boots clean, you are missing the chance to jump in mud puddles like a free and wild child. <br /><br />Your idea of the foot deferring to not ruin the boot by staying in has validity too I think. Maybe the "getting dirty" is not what the poet wants. She wants to stay clear of bliss and messiness. She wants to stay clean. <br /><br />I think it more likely that Emily is chastising herself (or the reader) for not taking the risk, and that last line is meant to chide. Because at the heart of the poem the boots are replaceable and the bliss is rare. d scribehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08242682202760522439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-22567931615150718262015-04-18T09:55:39.760-07:002015-04-18T09:55:39.760-07:00Indeed, and thanks. Between asking my ? and check...Indeed, and thanks. Between asking my ? and checking back I read the poem aloud and saw what you say immediately.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-30461420348605049422015-04-18T07:30:59.413-07:002015-04-18T07:30:59.413-07:00The speaker herself. It sounds a lot better in the...The speaker herself. It sounds a lot better in the poem, is a bit more droll and vernacular, than if it were written, "Should I cross or not". Susan Kornfeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384011972647144453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-8793715072033452492015-04-18T05:25:48.863-07:002015-04-18T05:25:48.863-07:00What's your (anyone's) understanding of wh...What's your (anyone's) understanding of what the Lady of 2nd last line refers to? Lady Virtue? The seller of the first boot?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-51424398234853671362015-02-05T05:25:29.324-08:002015-02-05T05:25:29.324-08:00Hah! Great interpretation, the feminist ED, say, f...Hah! Great interpretation, the feminist ED, say, foot, decide the point: my body MY body will decide. What sovereignty!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4029797379711350813.post-21551430031284329992012-11-15T21:07:02.336-08:002012-11-15T21:07:02.336-08:00Thank you for the wonderful blog.Thank you for the wonderful blog.Memories Among Other Thingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09469750879442983627noreply@blogger.com