1. It was not death By Emily Dickinson, 1830 - 1886

2. ENTIRE POEM – It was not Death, for I stood up, – And all the Dead, lie down— – It was not Night, for all the Bells – Put out their Tongues, for Noon. – It was not Frost, for on my Flesh – I felt Sirocos—crawl— – Nor Fire—for just my Marble feet – Could keep a Chancel, cool— – And yet, it tasted, like them all, – The Figures I have seen – Set orderly, for Burial, – Reminded me, of mine— – As if my life were shaven, – And fitted to a frame, – And could not breathe without a key, – And ‘twas like Midnight, some— – When everything that ticked—has stopped— – And Space stares all around— – Or Grisly frosts—first Autumn morns, – Repeal the Beating Ground— – But, most, like Chaos—Stopless—cool— – Without a Chance, or Spar— – Or even a Report of Land— – To justify—Despair. – My poem is a free verse – Has no rhyme scheme – Six stanzas- four lines in each – Twenty Four lines Organization, structure, form

3. Theme/lesson – She is presenting a depressing and hopeless setting. The speaker is attempting to define or understand her own condition.

4. Authors Purpose

5. Biography – Dickinson began writing as a teenager. Her early influences include Leonard Humphrey, principal of Amherst Academy, and a family friend named Benjamin Franklin Newton. Newton introduced Dickinson to the poetry of William Wordsworth, who also served as an inspiration to the young writer

6. Stanza 1 It was not Death, for I stood up, And all the Dead, lie down— It was not Night, for all the Bells Put out their Tongues, for Noon. Literal meaning Death you cant stand Dead lay down It wasn’t night because people bells had rang for noon Stanzas one and two tell us what her condition is not.

7. Stanza 2 It was not Frost, for on my Flesh I felt Sirocos—crawl— Nor Fire—for just my Marble feet Could keep a Chancel, cool— Literal meaning The speaker did not have frost on his skin Cold numbs you and he felt sirocos Nor was fire on his skin just was his feet

8. Stanza 3 And yet, it tasted, like them all, The Figures I have seen Set orderly, for Burial, Reminded me, of mine— Literal meaning You cant taste when your dead I've seen some bad and crazy things Stanza three pulls together the possibilities she eliminated

9. Stanza 4 As if my life were shaven, And fitted to a frame, And could not breathe without a key, And ‘twas like Midnight, some— Literal meaning Like my life was trimmed or cut and put in a frame And was breath less with out a key

10. Stanza 5 When everything that ticked—has stopped— And Space stares all around— Or Grisly frosts—first Autumn morns, Repeal the Beating Ground— Literal meaning When every clock stops And space is all around Frost from morning in fall Abolish the ground

11. Stanza 6 But, most, like Chaos—Stopless—cool— Without a Chance, or Spar— Or even a Report of Land— To justify—Despair. Literal meaning Like chaos you cant control With out arguing To explain distress