If those I loved were lost
The Crier’s voice would tell me —
If those I loved were found
The bells of Ghent would ring —

Did those I loved repose
The Daisy would impel me.
Philip — when bewildered
Bore his riddle in!

Analysis, meaning and summary of Emily Dickinson's poem If those I loved were lost

18 Comments

  1. Ian says:

    Here’s my paraphrase. When loved ones die, the sad news travels fast and sadly can’t be ignored. If these dead were to rise again, great bells would herald the miracle. But if these sleepers lie buried, blooming daisies at the graveside would speak for them. After my Philip parted reluctantly with life, his parting drilled into my heart without the need for daisies.

  2. Angela says:

    i think that her poem is sad. she is my favorite poet, but she writes depressing ones. i think it is sad she is writing about loseing the people she loves.

  3. Shel says:

    This is a beautful poem it toughches the soul and makes u wonder what would u think and feel if those that you love and love you were lost and all that remained was misery pain and enimies. in this poem she describes breifly but truely the emotions most would feel if all that they love was lost and tron from them thier very harts.

  4. Balls says:

    pretty average …. maybe use better words so the world will understand, because half the people that commented didnt get it. but maybe we are all just stupid

  5. Larz says:

    Man, I didn’t understand any of that poem. It is really confusing. Who is Daisy? Who is Phillip? What is a bell of Ghent?

  6. Morgan says:

    I think this is a really nice poem. I also think that there are a lot of people that would like it that haven’t read it yet. I just moved to the UK from California and I really miss learning about american poems and literature.

  7. tricia says:

    i really didnt like this poem i think it could have been written in a much better way of writing. i will never want to read this again.

  8. Confuzled says:

    I don’t really get this poem, maybe it is one of the poems where different people all have different meanings for the poem, I love those kind. It gives you freedom of mind to think of the poem. I really enjoyed this poem, even if I don’t exactly get it.

  9. Heather says:

    I love that poem !!! Now I have a copy of it I will read it alot!!Please do not remove this poem it is great and true.

  10. Katome says:

    it was great, and i can bet that my english teacher would too, since he says poems have the power and he likes her poems and rober frost too.

  11. AMy says:

    I thought it was a good poem.

  12. Carmen says:

    hey i like ur poem it’z relly touching. And I think that makes other people to think how it’z fells is u lose someone u love in ur relly love that person it relly puts u to think.

  13. Michele says:

    It is the Daisy (nature) that moves Emily to find those she loves who she fears is lost, and that is all who read her poems; and her riddles ring, and we come to understand when it is time to understand (when we are found) as for some that are not, their riddles are yet within, only to be realesed or to ring when found. She undestood the Self and our possibilities.

  14. Cammy says:

    this poem is really touching saying that if those around her where to die what would she do but if they lived what is going to tell her or maybe that she dont want to loose anybody around her

  15. Bridgette says:

    This poem means alot. In so many words, I feel that it
    expresses her feelings. Her poems, not only this one, all of them are so individualized. Just by reading a poem , you can tell if it is by Emily Dickinson. Poetry is usually not my thing, except her poems inspire me to want to read more.

  16. Leesa Sigler says:

    I really liked your poem and it has provided me the insperation that I needed to have in order to write. it also has given me some really good idea’s.

  17. alexandra eunice says:

    your riddle rhymes should be like a riddle. a riddle rhymes answer is at the end of the riddle. for ex.
    I fly like a bird
    But, don’t have feathers
    I soar to the sky
    With the aid of a string
    Would someone pull me?
    So, i can go higher
    I’m a kite, I can go further.

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