lyric poem-Because i could stop for death by Emily Dickinson

Because I Could Not Stop For Death & One last Breath

Lyric poem was evolved as early ancient of Greece where a poem usually accompanied by a musical instrument. Cohen (1963) refers a lyric poem as “the songlike quality in poetry, it is more generally used to refer to any short poem that expresses a personal emotion, be it a sonnet, ode, song, or elegy. In early Greek, poem lyric was commonly used as choral song and rapidly evolve as Christian hymns and in folk songs.
Therefore, I had chosen a fantastic poem wrote by Emily Dickinson which is “Because I could not stop for Death”. I am particularly amazed with the theme of this poem which is about the solemn realities of life and death. Apart of that, Dickinson brilliantly encourages the reader to enjoy the time they have because death, though offering tranquility and peace, will flies by without regard to any moment.

Emily Dickinson wrote in the opening stanza and stated that she could not stop for death but in other way “Death” could stop her and taking her life gently. The persona illustrates the “Death” as a gentleman who slowly picked her life into a carriage and to move into her final destination. However, they passed several mesmerizing moments with the carriage and navigate its way through several times.

The persona uses literary devices to elaborate part of different aspects upon the deceased’s life as for example in the third stanza, where the phases of life were described. “..the fields of gazing grain..” (line seven) is a metaphor which symbolize youth of the death. Besides that, imagery elements are also taking place in this meaningful poem, for instance, the school where children played…" (Lines eight and nine) where the audience will get some picture about her previous life.
Sadly, they passed the setting sun or the dying days and also the old age of the deceased’s life and it was nicely revealed using literary devices which is, again a metaphor. The reader can also aware and been noticed with the claim that during the process of the soul leaving the body, one sees one’s “life pass before one’s eyes.”

At the end of the poem, the persona concludes and tells about the carriage which is stops in front of a grave where the dirt was clearly described and delicately dug out in a pile next to the hole. Perhaps, the dirt here holds the image of a cornice, or roof, while the hole in the earth was its new comfort home where she will stay eternity and where she finally realized that she was dead for many years.

In contrast, in a song titled “one last breath” by a very popular band “Creed”, the journey to the eternity and Death is differently defined in several aspect and elements. Generally, the song is about someone who hardly and refused upon death at first but slowly trying to accept the existence of eternity. I do believe the song is related to god and obviously Jesus for Christians. The first stanza is clearly stated that the persona is might dying since the word “Please come now I think I’m falling”. Basically, the persona is may call upon help from Jesus after he seems found the road to nowhere or in other word the path to stay in his new “home” and he could escape from it. Furthermore, in line 6, stanza 1 ; the persona said “I yelled back when I heard thunder” perhaps giving some ideas that he is refusing to accept the request from god to pass away.

However, the persona is finally agreed to continue his new journey toward eternity. Line 6 stanza 1 “But I'm down to one last breath” but the persona he request about something, line 9 stanza 2, “hold me now” Therefore, it is perhaps because of the persona wanted to be held, as a child scared and wanting to be held by his mother since it may because he is worried of going through the new “journey”. Additionally, this is also spoken as a prayer to God since the persona in his last breath. As further explanations, in line 10 stanza 2 “I'm six feet from the edge” the persona tries to convey that he is at the point on his life where he sees only one way out which is clearly death and “That maybe six feet” possibly will symbolize of grave since a grave is six feet under.

After the acceptance of death, the persona is trying to recall upon his previous mistakes and he is asking grace from God to blessing him with apologize. Line 14 stanza 2 “Reflecting on all of my mistakes” and “I “thought I found the road to somewhere, Line 15 stanza 2 “Somewhere in His grace” Line 16 stanza 2. Therefore, the persona does not have any things to ask for in his new eternity journey except for heaven to give him chance and open its door for him as he is badly asking for heaven until he cried to God for that. Line 18 stanza 3, “I cried out heaven save me”.
In line 25 stanza 5 “Sad eyes follow me" may give several images that the persona get the apathy from mankind and he do believe that it will be some valuable things left for him upon this new life. Therefore, God will spread his love, line 27 stanza 5 “So please come stay with me” and give him some purpose and strength to guide the persona accomplishing the journey toward eternity. Line 26 stanza 5 “But I still believe there's something left for me”. In this stage, the persona knows that he needs help from God to fulfill his new destinations with calm and peace and hoping God will bless him with heaven.

From that, “Because I could stop for death” poem by Emily Dickinson and a song lyric from the band called “Creed” did have several differences in term of acceptance toward death. The persona in Emily’s poem somehow more rational upon death and take it as natural events happened toward any human and living things maybe because of the persona had past and going through life in natural settings. She had past her school days, her youth as well as her old age and because of that reasons she might be pleasure to proceed into another journey and destinations. In contrast, the persona in song “one last breath” can be someone which is suddenly had going through death perhaps due to accidents or other dramatic events. Consequently, he refused to accept the invitations upon eternity journey.
In conclusion, death could be something pleasure to be accepted if it comes in natural ways, however, death is a reality and everybody should be prepared for it no matters who you are living in this temporary life.


“One Last Breath” – Creed
Album: Weathered, Released : 2001
Please come now I think I'm falling
I'm holding to all I think is safe
It seems I found the road to nowhere
And I'm trying to escape
I yelled back when I heard thunder
But I'm down to one last breath
And with it let me say

Let me say

Hold me now
I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking
That maybe six feet
Ain't so far down
I'm looking down now that it's over
Reflecting on all of my mistakes
I thought I found the road to somewhere
Somewhere in His grace


I cried out heaven save me
But I'm down to one last breath
And with it let me say
Let me say

Hold me now



I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking
That maybe six feet
Ain't so far down
Sad eyes follow me
But I still believe there's something left for me
So please come stay with me
'Cause I still believe there's something left for you and me

For you and me
For you and me
Hold me now
I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking






Bibliography
See J. M. Cohen, The Baroque Lyric (1963); C. D. Lewis, The Lyric Impulse (1965); J. Erskine, The Elizabethan Lyric (1967); P. Dronke, The Medieval Lyric (1968).