“I Heard a Fly Buzz – When I Died –” Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson Born: 1830 Died: 1886 Born in Amherst, Massachusetts Family educated and political Energetic child Separated herself from others Refused to leave house Obsessed with writing 7 poems published during life

Dickinson’s Poetry Many about death Wrote 1,775 poems Sent four to Thomas Higginson, a critic Odd punctuation Uneven meter and rhyme

I Heard a Fly Buzz – When I Died – Speaker on brink of death: Between the light – and me – Fly = Death Dies in last two lines: And then the Windows failed – and then I could not see to see –

I Heard a Fly Buzz – When I Died – “The eyes around – had wrung them dry –” Gathered people crying King = God “I willed my Keepsakes” Made a will Prepared

Overall Message Describes what happens at death Death like a fly Death still present despite her will “And then the Windows failed – and then/ I could not see to see –”