Death Through Time

Sarah Josey

Professor Parton

Composition II

11 February 2014

Death through Time

“Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson and “The Emperor of Ice-Cream” by Wallace Stevens were written with more than thirty years in between. There are many differences in the two authors that one can notice right away. One of these differences would be the fact that Emily Dickinson is a woman, and Wallace Stevens is a man. In the time and generation that these poems were written, this was an important detail to take into account. Women were not seen as equals to men yet, and were expected to do tasks different than those of the men. Even though both writers had their differences, they both chose the topic of death for their poetry.

Written in 1890, in the poem “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” it is blatantly obvious that she is referring to death. It is in the name, as well as a reference in the first few lines of the poem. The poem starts out with saying “Because I could not stop for Death, / He kindly stopped for me;” (1-2). Dickinson is implying Death has a kind and gentle nature, and that he is not someone to be afraid of, but accepted. As the journey progresses, we see images of memories of the woman’s life that Death picked up. Of course, like everyone’s time inevitably comes, the sun set on her life. There is no way around death, if one cannot stop for death, it will eventually catch up.

Thirty three years later, Steven Wallace wrote a poem called “The Emperor of Ice-Cream.” The fact that the poem says that the boys are bringing flowers combined with the lines

Take from the dresser of deal,

Lacking the three glass knobs, that sheet

On which she embroidered fantails once

And spread it so as to cover her face. (9-12)

Leads the reader to believe that a funeral is taking place. The woman who died had a great attachment to materialistic objects, such as the embroidery she did in her lifetime. Maybe no one...