~~~Emily Dickinson~~~ etc~~~"I never told the buried gold" 10/1775

"I never told the buried gold" by Emily Dickinson

Version 1
I never told the buried gold
Opon the hill that lies -
I saw the sun, his plunder done -
Crouch low to guard his prize -

He stood as near
As stood you hear -
A pace had been between -
Did but a snake bisect the brake
My life had forfeit been.

That was a wondrous booty.
I hope 'twas honest gained -
Those were the fairest ingots
That ever kissed the spade.

Whether to keep the secret -
Whether to reveal -
Whether while I ponder
Kidd may sudden sail -

Could a shrewd advise me
We might e'en divide -
Should a shrewd betray me -
"Atropos" decide -

[edit] Version 2
I never told the buried gold
Opon the hill - that lies -
I saw the sun - his plunder done
Crouch low to guard his prize.

He stood as near
As stood you hear -
A pace had been between -
Did but a snake bisect the brake
My life had forfeit been.

That was a wondrous booty -
I hope 'twas honest gained.
Those were the fairest ingots
That ever kissed the spade!

Whether to keep the secret -
Whether to reveal -
Whether as I ponder
"Kidd" will sudden sail -

Could a shrewd advise me
We might e'en divide -
Should a shrewd betray me -
Atropos decide!

[edit] Version 3
I never told the buried gold
Upon the hill — that lies —
I saw the sun — his plunder done
Crouch low to guard his prize.

He stood as near
As stood you here —
A pace had been between —
Did but a snake bisect the brake
My life had forfeit been.

That was a wondrous booty —
I hope 'twas honest gained.
Those were the fairest ingots
That ever kissed the spade!

Whether to keep the secret —
Whether to reveal —
Whether as I ponder
Kidd will sudden sail —

Could a shrewd advise me
We might e'en divide —
Should a shrewd betray me —
Atropos decide!

This #10 Poem by Emily Dickinson is all about pirates; in particular Captain William Kidd aka the pirate Cap'n Kidd! Emily discusses some Greek fates at the end of the poem to wrap it up the tale.

"I never told the buried gold
Opon the hill that lies -
I saw the sun, his plunder done -
Crouch low to guard his prize -"*

Emily in the first stanza above is discussing the fact she never "told the buried gold"

"He stood as near
As stood you hear -
A pace had been between -
Did but a snake bisect the brake
My life had forfeit been."*

Referring to the gold of Kidd's supposedly, by legend buried near. Captain Kidd did live in New York, originally from Cornwall and Greenock, Scotland. Emily is fascinated with pirate stories, which would have been undoubtly told about the school yard, in parlours, etc. This poem reminds me of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" as well as "Rip Van Winkle" by Irving Washington.

Many references to the sensational for this Victorian time frame lends credence to the fact that Victorian sensibility enjoyed a "good scare". Perhaps people of this era enjoyed, as much as we due today, adventure in stories as well as poems. It must take something to stir up the dust in the overstuffed parlours of the day. Conneticutt, were Irving Washington wrote in the 1820's his novel being the first novel made and read in the America. Irving Washington not too far from the very place of Emily's Amherst habitual staidedness. The time frame is 1820, Emily's poems is later (1890). There are often American references in Emily's poems, so that fact she'd pick up on the populace writing of the time does not surprise me at all.

"That was a wondrous booty.
I hope 'twas honest gained -
Those were the fairest ingots
That ever kissed the spade."*

The reference to "kiss the spade" is delightful and modern in its usage.
Emily is hoping the gold ingots were "honest(ly) gained". However, we know differently, there is however, some dispute as to Kidd's pirateering ways; now he is thought to have been more of a privateer, and the rumours about him were highly embellished if not down-right lies. Like a pirate herself biting the gold to figure out it's quality and assayage.

"Whether to keep the secret -
Whether to reveal -
Whether as I ponder
"Kidd" will sudden sail -"*

Even Emily is "ponder'ing'" whether or not the stories about Capn Kidd could possibly be true. However, with Emily's vivid imagination she sees Capn "Kidd" sail into the sunset.

"Could a shrewd advise me
We might e'en divide —
Should a shrewd betray me —
Atropos decide!"

In this last Stanza (there are only 2 Versions of this poem; both much the same, however.
When Emily asks "Could a shrewd abvise me" it is a pun on words. It should, by all intents and purposes read "shrew" or a mouse advise Emily. But a "shrewd" refers to a business person who is "shrewd" or wise regarding money matters. If the "shrewd" or business person, perhaps banker, or pirate (is this an inside joke; how modern!) then Emily will ask "Atropos" one of the Greek Fates to decide the fate. A "shrewd" has at least three meanings in this poem, a pirate, a mouse (shrew) or a banker or business person. Very humorous poem Emily! As well as adventurous; lots of value in this poem!

Chiccoreal at logb's offering on the above poem; a poetic synopsis by Jane Jones

Capn Kidd

Capn Kidd hit the skids
When he buried his gold
in the back hills
Who should find his booty
by the lovely Miss Emily
Who could spy on the hills
and tap the earth with the spade
Low and behold; gold!
And Capn Kidd
Should help Emily's pirate self
To decide just what she should do
All this gold
Got to be laundered somewhere
Shhh...where?
It's a secret
Why not at the Dickinsons?

(oh please dont go to Amherst and dig out the yards there please!)

jj





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This article does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2007)

For other uses, see Atropos (disambiguation).

Bas relief of Atropos cutting the thread of lifeIn Greek mythology, Atropos (pronounced /ˈætrəpɒs/) (from Greek Άτροπος, "without turn") was one of the three Moirae, goddesses of fate and destiny. Her Roman equivalent was Morta.

Atropos was the oldest of the Three Fates, and was known as the "inflexible" or "inevitable". It was Atropos who chose the mechanism of death and ended the life of each mortal by cutting their thread with her "abhorred shears". She worked along with her two sisters, Clotho, who spun the thread, and Lachesis, who measured the length.

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"Captain Kidd" redirects here. For the 1945 film, see Captain Kidd (film).
For other people named William Kidd, see William Kidd (disambiguation).
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Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2008)
William Kidd
c. 1645 – May 23, 1701

William Kidd
Type: Privateer
Place of birth: Greenock, Scotland
Place of death: Wapping, England
Allegiance: Scotland and England
William "Captain" Kidd (c. 1645 – May 23, 1701)[1] was a Scottish sailor remembered for his trial and execution for piracy after returning from a voyage to the Indian Ocean. Some modern historians deem his piratical reputation unjust, as there is evidence that Kidd acted only as a privateer. Kidd's fame springs largely from the sensational circumstances of his questioning before the English Parliament and the ensuing trial. His actual depredations on the high seas, whether piratical or not, were both less http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Sleepy_Hollowdestructive and less lucrative than those of many other contemporary pirates and privateers.