Emily Dickinson - "Sic transit gloria mundi"
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"Sic transit gloria mundi,"
"How doth the busy bee,"
"Dum vivimus vivamus,"
I stay mine enemy!
Oh "veni, vidi, vici!"
Oh caput cap-a-pie!
And oh "memento mori"
When I am far from thee!
Hurrah for Peter Parley!
Hurrah for Daniel Boone!
Three cheers, sir, for the gentleman
Who first observed the moon!
Peter, put up the sunshine;
Patti, arrange the stars;
Tell Luna, tea is waiting,
And call your brother Mars!
Put down the apple, Adam,
And come away with me,
So shalt thou have a pippin
From off my father's tree!
I climb the "Hill of Science,"
I "view the landscape o'er;"
Such transcendental prospect,
I ne'er beheld before!
Unto the Legislature
My country bids me go;
I'll take my india rubbers,
In case the wind should blow!
During my education,
It was announced to me
That gravitation, stumbling,
Fell from an apple tree!
The earth upon an axis
Was once supposed to turn,
By way of a gymnastic
In honor of the sun!
It was the brave Columbus,
A sailing o'er the tide,
Who notified the nations
Of where I would reside!
Mortality is fatal --
Gentility is fine,
Rascality, heroic,
Insolvency, sublime!
Our Fathers being weary,
Laid down on Bunker Hill;
And tho' full many a morning,
Yet they are sleeping still, --
The trumpet, sir, shall wake them,
In dreams I see them rise,
Each with a solemn musket
A marching to the skies!
A coward will remain, Sir,
Until the fight is done;
But an immortal hero
Will take his hat, and run!
Good bye, Sir, I am going;
My country calleth me;
Allow me, Sir, at parting,
To wipe my weeping e'e.
In token of our friendship
Accept this "Bonnie Doon,"
And when the hand that plucked it
Hath passed beyond the moon,
The memory of my ashes
Will consolation be;
Then, farewell, Tuscarora,
And farewell, Sir, to thee!
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Added: on April 10th, 2007 at 12:39 PM | Viewed: 19882 times |  Comments (15)
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"Sic transit gloria mundi" - Comments and Information
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Poet: Emily Dickinson
Poem: 3.
"Sic transit gloria mundi"
Volume: Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
Year: Published/Written in 1955
Comment 15 of 15, added on February 26th, 2008 at 11:17 AM.
she is AWSOME!!!!!!!!!:)
katie from United States
Comment 14 of 15, added on October 2nd, 2007 at 10:54 PM.
I have been thinking about the stanza that I believe is a turning point in the poem and Im trying to interpret the words correctly so that it makes sense (to me) and fits with the rest of the poem which I think I got by now.
I used Merriam-Webster dictionary online for this and checked some (now) outdated uses of the words, which were the standard at the time Emily Dickison was alive.
Mortality is fatal
Gentility is fine,
Rascality, heroic,
Insolvency, sublime!
To me, the word "fatal" is used here as "decreed, controlled, or marked by fate." We have to die and that will no doubt happen.
By "gentility" she might be referring to strong and courageous people. Like the ones she has referred to as her heroes.
When she says "rascality", I guess that Dickinson is probably thinking of a crowd of people (in this case, fighting together for a common cause.)
And to me, by "insolvency" she means the deprivation from richness (according to The Bible -if I remember rightly- a rich man will not easily make it to Heaven.)
It would be awesome to read and 'see' what you think. Thank you!
Juan
Comment 13 of 15, added on April 10th, 2007 at 12:39 PM.
I too am a fan of the song, Sic Transit Gloria . . . Gloria Fades, by Brand New! At first glance I did not think there was any relation between the two, but if you you look up the Latin words you can make a few connections. This is just my opinion and my thoughts. The song is talking about a boy who is pressured into having sex. I think at first it was something he wanted but was also pressured by his friends. Here comes that phrase, everyone is doing it. In our society today sex is no big deal, but I believe it is supposed to be a sign of covenant between a husband a wife. The Latin phrase, "sic transit gloria mundi" meaning, so passes worldly glory. In a sense I feel the world tells us that it is ok to have multiple sex partners, almost as if your "glorified" for having lots of sex. Although in the poem there is the underlying wisper of "size the day" I think the song is against that, "Die young and save yourself" "memento mori"(remember you are mortal). Maybe its a stretch, but those little bits and pieces jumped out at me. Maybe Brand New just took little parts of the poem to construct their song and maybe they have no idea the poem even exists. Then again if you look at the over all meaning of both, I think they are two different topics.
Celest from United States
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she is AWSOME!!!!!!!!!:)
katie from United States