by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886)
I breathed enough to learn the trick
Language: English
I breathed enough to learn the trick, And now, removed from air, I simulate the breath so well, That one, to be quite sure The lungs are stirless, must descend Among the cunning cells, And touch the pantomime himself. How cool the bellows feels!
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Poems by Emily Dickinson. Third Series, ed by Mabel Loomis Todd, Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1896.
Text as set by Ippolito:
I breathed enough to take the Trick— And now, removed from Air — I simulate the Breath, so well — That One, to be quite sure — The Lungs are stirless — must descend Among the Cunning Cells — And touch the Pantomine — Himself, How numb, the Bellows feels!
Text Authorship:
- by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886), no title, appears in Poems: Third Series, in 4. Time and Eternity, no. 41 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Michael Ippolito (b. 1985), no title, 2014 [ solo voice ], from Peacock Presumes to Die!, no. 1, confirmed with a score [sung text checked 1 time]
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2018-08-19
Line count: 8
Word count: 44