| If you were to write a song based on Emily Dickinson's "Because I could not stop for Death," what would it sound like? Would it be a dirge? A tango? A march? There are funeral marches. Perhaps the most famous funeral march was written by Frederic Chopin (at the right). | |
| | Would you sing it to the tune of the "Gilligan's Island" theme song? (at the left) Well, I sat at the piano a few years ago, and I wrote a song based on "Because I could not stop for death" -- and it ended up being a waltz. A wicked waltz. A wickedly audacious waltz. |
| By Emily Dickinson: Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me – The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And Immortality. We slowly drove – He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility – We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess – in the Ring – We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain – We passed the Setting Sun – Or rather – He passed us – The Dews drew quivering and chill – For only Gossamer, my Gown – My Tippet – only Tulle – We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground – The Roof was scarcely visible – The Cornice – in the Ground – Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity – |  For the most part, I have finished writing the music, and the pages are shown below. Click the images to enlarge. I see some corrections I have to make to the fourth page, so I'll upload a correct copy of the page soon. I'll also look it over to see if there are other corrections to make too. |
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