'I breathed enough to take the Trick' by Emily Dickinson
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I breathed enough to take the Trick-
And now, removed from Air-
I simulate the Breath, so well-
That One, to be quite sure-The Lungs are stirless-must descend
Among the Cunning Cells-
And touch the Pantomine-Himself,
How numb, the Bellows feels!
Editor 1 Interpretation
"I breathed enough to take the Trick" by Emily Dickinson: An Interpretation
Emily Dickinson's "I breathed enough to take the Trick" is a poem that captures the essence of life and death. Through her use of language and imagery, she presents a unique perspective on the cycle of life, one that is both poignant and thought-provoking.
The Poem
I breathed enough to take the Trick, And now, removed from Air, I simulate the Breath, So well, that One, to be sure, The Lungs are stirless, must descend Among the Cunning Cells, And touch the Pantomime himself.
How cool the Bellows feels! What Air! I know that He exists In somewhere—I know not where— And seek Him spicy forests through, With Baubles for a thousand Crews, And Deities, to choose—
But now I have a Riddle to guess, And I must guess—soon— "Logic" has put me in the Grasp Of a Predicament twice told. I breathed enough to take the Trick, And now, removed from Air, I simulate the Breath So well, that One, to be sure, The Lungs are stirless, must descend Among the Cunning Cells, And touch the Pantomime himself.
Analysis
The poem is divided into two stanzas, each with seven lines. The first stanza starts with the line, "I breathed enough to take the Trick," which can be interpreted as a metaphor for life. The word "Trick" suggests a game or a performance, and the phrase "breathed enough" indicates that the speaker has experienced enough of life to understand its nature.
The second line, "And now, removed from Air," implies the speaker's detachment from the physical world. The use of the word "Air" here is significant as it represents the life-giving force that is essential to human existence. The speaker then goes on to say that she can "simulate the Breath" so well that one would have to touch her lungs to be sure that she is not breathing. This idea of simulating life is intriguing and suggests that the speaker has achieved a kind of mastery over death.
The following lines, "Among the Cunning Cells, And touch the Pantomime himself," present an image of the human body as a complex and intricate system. The phrase "Cunning Cells" highlights the complexity of the human body, while the word "Pantomime" suggests a kind of theatrical performance. The speaker seems to be suggesting that life itself is a performance, and that the human body is the stage on which this performance takes place.
The second stanza starts with the same line as the first, "I breathed enough to take the Trick," which gives the poem a circular structure. The line "How cool the Bellows feels!" is intriguing as it suggests that the speaker is experiencing death as a kind of relief. The word "Bellows" is significant here as it implies that the speaker is now experiencing a kind of release from the constraints of life.
The following lines, "What Air! I know that He exists In somewhere—I know not where— And seek Him spicy forests through, With Baubles for a thousand Crews, And Deities, to choose—" suggest that the speaker is now exploring the afterlife. The use of the word "spicy" here is intriguing as it implies that the afterlife is a place of adventure and exploration. The phrase "Baubles for a thousand Crews" suggests that the speaker is now collecting souvenirs from her journey through the afterlife.
The final lines, "But now I have a Riddle to guess, And I must guess—soon— "Logic" has put me in the Grasp Of a Predicament twice told. I breathed enough to take the Trick, And now, removed from Air, I simulate the Breath So well, that One, to be sure, The Lungs are stirless, must descend Among the Cunning Cells, And touch the Pantomime himself," suggest that the speaker is now facing a kind of existential dilemma. The phrase "Riddle to guess" implies that the speaker is now grappling with the mysteries of life and death, while the phrase "Logic" suggests that she is using reason to make sense of her situation. The final two lines of the poem repeat the first stanza, emphasizing the circular structure of the poem.
Conclusion
Overall, "I breathed enough to take the Trick" is a fascinating poem that explores the cycle of life and death. Through her use of language and imagery, Dickinson presents a unique perspective on the nature of existence, one that is both thought-provoking and poignant. The circular structure of the poem, with its repetition of the first stanza in the second, emphasizes the cyclical nature of life, and the speaker's journey through the afterlife suggests that there is much more to existence than what we experience in our physical lives. Ultimately, Dickinson's poem encourages us to consider the mysteries of existence and to approach life with a sense of wonder and curiosity.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry has the power to evoke emotions, stir the soul, and transport us to another world. Emily Dickinson's poem "I breathed enough to take the Trick" is a perfect example of how poetry can capture the essence of life and death in just a few lines. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and language of this classic poem.
The poem begins with the line "I breathed enough to take the Trick," which immediately sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The word "trick" is a reference to a magic trick, which suggests that the speaker is about to perform something extraordinary. The word "breathed" is also significant because it implies that the speaker is alive and breathing, which is a contrast to the theme of death that runs throughout the poem.
The first stanza of the poem describes the speaker's experience of death. The line "And now, removed from air," suggests that the speaker has died and is no longer breathing. The use of the word "removed" is interesting because it implies that the speaker has been taken away from something, which could be interpreted as life. The line "I simulate the breath" suggests that the speaker is trying to breathe again, but is unable to do so because they are dead.
The second stanza of the poem describes the speaker's experience of life. The line "And now, endowed with life," suggests that the speaker has been given a new lease on life. The use of the word "endowed" is significant because it implies that the speaker has been given something valuable, which could be interpreted as life itself. The line "I simulate the life" suggests that the speaker is trying to live again, but is unable to do so because they are dead.
The third stanza of the poem describes the speaker's experience of death and life together. The line "And now, with one foot on the sea" suggests that the speaker is standing on the edge of life and death. The use of the word "sea" is significant because it implies that the speaker is standing on the edge of something vast and unknown, which could be interpreted as the afterlife. The line "And one on the shore" suggests that the speaker is torn between life and death, and is unable to fully commit to either one.
The fourth stanza of the poem describes the speaker's experience of death and life as a trick. The line "I tricked a common thing" suggests that the speaker has found a way to cheat death and live again. The use of the word "tricked" is significant because it implies that the speaker has found a way to deceive death, which is something that is not possible in reality. The line "And comforted a queen" suggests that the speaker has found a way to bring comfort to someone who is in a position of power, which could be interpreted as a reference to God.
The final stanza of the poem describes the speaker's experience of death and life as a mystery. The line "Mystery to All but Ourselves" suggests that the speaker's experience of death and life is something that is only known to them. The use of the word "mystery" is significant because it implies that the speaker's experience is something that cannot be fully understood or explained. The line "And granted what we felt" suggests that the speaker's experience of death and life is something that is personal and subjective, and cannot be shared with others.
In terms of structure, the poem is written in five stanzas, each with four lines. The use of quatrains is significant because it creates a sense of balance and symmetry in the poem. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABCB, which means that the second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyme. The use of rhyme is significant because it creates a sense of musicality and rhythm in the poem.
In terms of language, the poem is full of metaphors and symbolism. The use of the word "trick" is a metaphor for the speaker's experience of death and life. The use of the word "sea" is a symbol for the afterlife. The use of the word "queen" is a symbol for God. The use of metaphors and symbolism is significant because it creates a sense of depth and complexity in the poem.
In conclusion, Emily Dickinson's poem "I breathed enough to take the Trick" is a powerful exploration of the themes of life and death. The poem is structured in a way that creates a sense of balance and symmetry, and the use of metaphors and symbolism creates a sense of depth and complexity. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of life and death in just a few lines.
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