If I shouldn’t be alive
When the Robins come,
Give the one in Red Cravat,
A Memorial crumb.

If I couldn’t thank you,
Being fast asleep,
You will know I’m trying
Why my Granite lip!

Analysis, meaning and summary of Emily Dickinson's poem If I shouldn’t be alive

2 Comments

  1. Megan says:

    Sarah – I didn’t enjoy how you “wrote up” your comments in regards to the poem. Why did you even take the time to post it?
    I actually did enjoy the poem and its context. She is asking the question that if she doesn’t live through the winter (as many people didn’t survive the winter in those days), who will feed the birds when the spring comes? It is also a cold, hard look at death with the phrase “granite lip”. Like I said, I liked it.

  2. sarah says:

    i thought that this poem was one of the worst that Emily Dickinson has ever writen. I haven’t rear all of Emily Dickinsons poems but I think this is her worst poem ever. I didn’t enjoy how Emily Dickinson wrote it up, using the context that she used. I thought the poem was wonderful but the setting and the context ruined it for me.

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