I Died for Beauty but was Scarce
Emily Dickinson 

I died for beauty, but was scarce

Adjusted in the tomb, 

When one who died for truth was lain

In an adjoining room 

He questioned softly why I failed? 

"For beauty," I replied. 

"And I for truth, the two are one;

We brethen are," he said. 

And so, as kinsmen met a night, 

We talked between our rooms, 

Until the moss had reached out lips, 

And covered up our names 

When I read any type of literature, I often find that I prefer pieces that are able to convey complex messages while maintaining a smaller amount of words. Every word and every feeling becomes so much more powerful when there are fewer words to begin with. Emily Dickinson has always been a fan favorite when it comes to poetry and after reading more of her recently, I found this poem and was automatically attracted to its complexity. A few lines, and yet it left me in chills. I appreciate anything that can get me to feel through a few lines of writing. 

The speaker begins by explaining that she died for beauty - an idea that I feel many girls and women can easily relate too. When the speaker says this, I feel as if she means to emphasize the idea that she yearned to be thought of as beautiful - perhaps beauty gave significance to her existence. It is as if she died for beauty because she was loved for her beauty. She automatically transitions to being "adjusted" in a "tomb." This death can be interpreted as both a literal death and a metaphorical death. She claims that one "who died for truth was lain in the adjoining room." Immediately we see a contrast between beauty and truth - although both are very different [arguably contradictory] forces, their "followers" end up in the same place. Death.  

Oftentimes, beauty is judged by outer appearance. Similarly, outer appearances are very unreliable and often deceiving. One could argue that outer beauty is a stark contrast to the overarching idea of "truth." I think this contrast is extremely significant to point out, and was an intentional choice by Dickinson. The contrast between the two forces illuminates the strangeness of the two forces ending up in the same place. The next stanza asks has the speaker's neighbor asking her why she "failed" - it is important to note that death is viewed as failure here. Whether literal or metaphorical, death is a form of failure - and this stanza depicts two very different types of of people "failing" together. The neighbor says, "We brethen are," as a means of communicating how close these two are - not only because they are beside each other but also because they are both in a state of death and failure. 

Bonded by their mutual failure and death, the two individuals through the night until the "moss had reached out lips, 

And covered up our names." Dickinson's choice of diction is not only peculiar, but also rather chilling. Names define a person and give them individuality - without a name, an individual is nothing. This diction implies that the two individuals talked until they were decomposed completely, and left in a state of nothingness. It is as if they never existed. 

What was Dickinson trying to convey? Perhaps she was relaying the idea that no matter what one may hold on to in life, the end result is always death. Or she might have meant for this poem to illustrate the deception of worldly forces such as "beauty" and "truth," and that pursuing one as an absolute truth will only contribute to one's own demise [think Winesburg Ifrah!]. Dickinson also makes a comment on humanity itself, emphasizing the powerlessness of humans and their inability to succeed in the world. Orrrr maybe Dickinson wants to show that humans will never truly be effective forever - they will be forgotten once they meet death. 

Whatever Dickinson's idea may be, I think her simple language and elegant style gives off a powerful and cynical feeling. 

Poetry is feeling, and feeling is always beautiful in some way.