I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain
by Emily Dickinson
I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,
And Mourners to and fro
Kept treading - treading - till it seemed
That Sense was breaking through -
And when they all were seated,
A Service, like a Drum -
Kept beating - beating - till I thought
My mind was going numb -
And then I heard them lift a Box
And creak across my Soul
With those same Boots of Lead, again,
Then Space - began to toll,
As all the Heavens were a Bell,
And Being, but an Ear,
And I, and Silence, some strange Race,
Wrecked, solitary, here -
And then a Plank in Reason, broke,
And I dropped down, and down -
And hit a World, at every plunge,
And Finished knowing - then -
Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) was a groundbreaking American poet from Amherst, Massachusetts. Known for her unique form and voice, she blended scientific curiosity with emotional depth. Influenced by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Transcendentalism, her innovative verse explored individuality and imagination. Most of her work was published after she died. She has had enduring influence on American poetry.
