"I heard a Fly buzz-- when I died"

I heard a Fly buzz-- when i died--
The Stillness in the Room
Was like the Stillness in the Air--
Between the Heaves of Storm--

The Eyes around-- had wrung them dry--
And Breaths were gathering firm
For that last Onset-- when the King
Be witnessed-- in the Room--

I willed my Keepsakes-- Signed away
What portion of me be
Assignable-- and then it was
There interposed a Fly--

With Blue-- uncertain stumbling Buzz--
Between the light-- and me--
And then the windows failed-- and then
I could not see to see--


In this poem, Dickinson's diction creates an intensely gloomy tone. The first stanza develops the idea that the speaker's death lead to an overall feeling of sorrow; The second stanza emphasizes the sadness by stating that the mourners' eyes were "wrung dry." The audience was in awe when the King walked in, which presents the idea that the speaker lived a life of importance. The third stanza indicates that the speaker is accepting death by willing away her "Keepsakes." The speaker's interaction with the fly infers that all humans, no matter how important they once were, are equal after death. This poem taught me to rethink life and to be less egocentric, because everone is the same after death.