Welcome back to the Daily Poem, a podcast from Goldberry Studios.

I'm Sean Johnson, and today is Friday, June 28, 2004.

Today's poem is by Emily Dickinson, and it's called I Felt a Funeral in My Brain.

In case you were wondering, this is not one of Emily Dickinson's cheery

poems. As the title suggests, it begins with themes of death and moves speedily on to themes

of insanity and even despair. So, be warned. However, fortunately, it's the middle of the summer and after this little

dozy of a poem, you can go outside and soak up some sunlight and vitamin D and hopefully

put the whole thing behind you.

In the meantime, here is Emily Dickinson's,

I felt a funeral in my brain.

I felt a funeral in my brain and mourners to and fro kept treading,

treading, which that 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. 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 eye 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.

Okay. then. As the title, which is really just the first line applied to this untitled poem in the place of a title,

as the first line suggests,

...