Emily Dickinson Returns! A Poem A Day Continues! "I Never Lost As Much But Twice" ED

"I never lost as much but twice" by Emily Dickinson

I never lost as much but twice,
And that was in the sod;
Twice have I stood a beggar
Before the door of God!

Angels, twice descending,
Reimbursed my store.
Burglar, banker, father,
I am poor once more !

(ed note; second version below...)

I never lost as much but twice,
And that was in the sod.
Twice have I stood a beggar
Before the door of God!

Angels — twice descending
Reimbursed my store —
Burglar! Banker — Father!
I am poor once more!

Dear Fans of Emily Dickinson: Warning; lengthy PREAMBLE: Glad to be back on board and trying to conceptualize the romantic heart of our dear Miss Emily! How transcendental the poems, how light they make me feel, this heavy weighted and shod with cloven hooves beast I have become compared to the incomparable lightness of Miss Emily. I can only try, in my own way, to understand the very nature of this tender being. Please let me bare my soul, if not my heart for a moment to try to live that life as it was in those days, in those conditions.

In order to met any historic poet half-way, at least, we must understand the environment of the said poet/artist.

It is imperative to understand the mileu, the niche, the epoch, the environs of the person of the artist. This is a very personal journey as to discover another one must first discover themselves!

As one begins to look inward, to understand the nature of the poet/artist, in particular the study of Miss Emily Dickinson, we must walk in her historical outfit. So as we gird ourselves with the garment of the artist from that time period we can evoke a more truer spirit of the personage of the artist.

To know one's soul is to know one's being. To be a soulful human being, one must be open to the spiritual influences of the individual as well as the surrounding spiritual influences of that poet's day.

The more information I can produce in regards to the background or the backstory on Miss Emily, the more readily I am able to produce an adequate analysis of her work.

In order to gather such information, I'd have to study the exact same studies of Miss Emily at Amherst College in MA, USA. The mind does have a clear connection to formed thought in the gestalts produced in the erudite teachings of the classics at that time. Remembering that certain focus upon various artists, writers, etc., would be the norm rather than the exception during Emily's college years.

If I could find any written lectures by her professors, this would, indeed, be a gold mine for understanding the mind of Miss Emily. But this is not all!

To understand the nature of Miss Emily's soul, I'd have to travel to her particular religious affiliation, no doubt that of her Mother and Father, which I believe may have been ?Episcopalian? The early rumblings of spiritual indoctrination would have a tremendous influence on the images, symbols, etc found in Miss Emily's work.

As well, her own individual backstory, any diaries, for example, besides the poems she kept. Any handed-down like hand-me down stories from friends, relatives, virtually any information to be found.

Sometimes, and mostly, we appreciate poets, artists for their immediacy, their craft standing on its own having its own merit as an authentic object created alone.

However, as all art critics know everything has a predecessor, a backstory, a derivation of historical influence upon the poet, etc. All things borrowed from some previous place in time. Indeed, "nothing is new under the sun". Influence being key to understanding the focus of an poet/artist's attention.

It is that focus where I am going to evolve today. I must admit, I am not wholly schooled in the multiple classics of Miss Emily. It would take years to arrive at a point where Miss Emily had departed from her studies into her art.

When I make a suggestion, or fixate upon an idea, or a thread or trend of Miss Emily's it is only due to the fact of my limited information regarding Miss Emily's massive amount of Classically-trained mind. Miss Emily is erudite.

Although her work may appear simple on the surface, there are reams of symbolic gesture and signage pointing to something else, either, deeply personal, or coded in someway as to create a particular and original Miss Emily speak, or Emily Dickinson language.

Please join me in my nascent attempt at understanding the depths of this simple yet spiritually deep woman.

The journey is the beginning to a true discovery of the amazing personage of Miss Emily Dickinson.



I never lost as much but twice,
And that was in the sod;
Twice have I stood a beggar
Before the door of God!

Angels, twice descending,
Reimbursed my store.
Burglar, banker, father,
I am poor once more !

(ed note; second version below...)

What exactly is Emily meaning in the first line? "I never lost as much but twice"?
Well, I would think that the "twice" "lost" Miss Emily is referring to is the fact that "The Burglar" (is this an allegorical allusion?) and "The Banker" are the two figures that made Emily loose something twice. Remember that these allegorical figures could represent something within Emily herself or are a reference to actual personages. At this point, I am not sure.

When I continue my studies in the future, when I become more knowledgeable, reading further poems by Miss Emily, I may deduce the truth as to who or whom these alluded beings actually are representing.

For now, I am allowing my belief to be suspended while I find the actual references, and inferences which may multiple various references along the way. And realize that these allegorically-sounding figures do have much to add to the full dimension of Miss Emily's poems.

For now, lets look upon them as classical allegorical figures, representing a type of Jungian archetype and mood.

"Angels twice descending"

The "Angels" ould refer to the heralding of birth and death. Angels being present during these pivotal times of great change.

"And that was in the sod" The earth makes loss. The earth reclaims souls in its soil.

The earth as sod, as fertilizer for temporal personal power and infinite return. In a way, "sod" is not thought of in the best light in this poem. Sod having a finite quality which is not sought by someone of a transcendental nature.

"Twice I have stood a beggar"

At the doors of heaven, at birth and at death. Angels at those time fill up the "store" with the storehouse of spiritual bounty. As all who enter in, must be "born again" in the spirit according to the Bible.

"I am poor once more". Meaning that Miss Emily feel she is spiritually spent and needs to be reborn in the spirit once more, either via baptism or by the last rites. It is difficult to say, it could be by nature (The Angels) spiritual renewal. Since Emily is often and amazingly refreshed in her spirit by Nature, all things natural from the Source.

jj

Chiccoreal's Amazing Font of Collaborative Effort Fomented in the Mind's Aye

Twice you've come
to collect me
recollect me
enjoin me
entwine me
Twice I've left
left behind
the mere mortals here
The Banker
The Burglar
The Telegraph Maker
Father! Help me!
To leave these surly bonds
of Earth to Fly
High in the Skies
of Perpetural Rebirth
When is this funny game o'er
and I can be
One in Spirit
Once more?

Tell me when!

jj