Emily Dickenson

[agata.livejournal.com]

I felt a clearing in my mind - Emily Dickenson

I felt a clearing in my mind
I felt a clearing in my mind
As if my brain had split;
I tried to match it, seam by seam,
But could not make them fit.

The thought behind I strove to join
Unto the thought before,
But sequence ravelled out of reach
Like balls upon the floor.

Comments

[mizraim.livejournal.com]

I thought the line was: "I felt a cleavage in my mind."

[sylphbranching.livejournal.com]

I looked it up on google to find the original version. Unfortunately I'm not currently in possession of an authority source, but the version I found looks more like her style, and is something between "clearing" and "cleavage" (and makes it sound like a knife cutting yarn, rather than meadows or sexual references). She has such a lovely way of playfully using metaphors, with serious, dark undertones...

937

I felt a Cleaving in my Mind—
As if my Brain had split—
I tried to match it—Seam by Seam—
But could not make it fit.

The thought behind, I strove to join
Unto the thought before—
But Sequence ravelled out of Sound
Like Balls—upon a Floor.