By Emily Dickinson
I REASON, earth is short,
And anguish absolute.
And many hurt;
But what of that?
I reason, we could die:
The best vitality
Cannot excel decay;
But what of that?
I reason that in heaven
Somehow, it will be even,
Some new equation given;
But what of that?
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Filed under: Miscellaneous , Emily Dickinson, Liberal Arts
“But what of that”. Reason is sought to justify/explain what we might think is truth.
“I reason the earth is short…”, these reasoned conclusions we make are merely built upon our perceptions. The argument then is that most of our reasoned logical conclusions we make are never certain, because they are “built upon the very same fallible perceptions they seek to better” (Plato).
So…even if we reason that anguish is absolute, that the earth is short, that heaven will be even….what of that?! They are merely pursuits of our own desires.
I really like this one.
Not at all how I first read it Jota…..but I’m glad I read your interpretation.
The poem had somber, almost nihilistic tone when I first read it with the central question being “But what of our (human) existence?” Do our hurt, anguish, life and death matter? Would they matter even if someone makes them right (in heaven)?
You seem to see the question as “What of our thoughts of our existence?” It is our very existence, not our thoughts that matter.
And so what if we call a particular part of our existence life and another -death? What of the anguish, hurt and righteousness we live by is just how we label things beyond comprehension….beyond us?
Well then maybe, though even more afraid of the unknown, a little less likely to follow blindly what we think we know.