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The Last Night That She Lived

11/1/2020

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This song is based on Emily Dickinson's poem "The last Night that She lived."  The poems is below on the left, and the lyrics for the song -- based on the poem -- are on the right.
The last Night that She lived,
It was a Common Night,
Except the Dying – this to Us
Made Nature different

We noticed smallest things –
Things overlooked before
By this great light upon our Minds
Italicized –as 'twere.

As We went out and in
Between Her final Room
And Rooms where Those to be
were, a Blame

That others could exist
While She must finish quite
A Jealousy for Her arose
So nearly infinite –

We waited while she passed –
It was a narrow time –
Too jostled were Our Souls to speak
At length the notice came

She mentioned, and forgot –
Then lightly as a Reed
Bent to the Water, struggle scarce –
Consented, and was dead –

And We – We placed the Hair –
And drew the Head erect –
And then an awful leisure was
Belief to regulate –
The last Night that She lived
It was a Common Night
Except the Dying – this to Us
Made nature different
                                          
We noticed smallest things –
Things overlooked before
By this great light upon our Minds
Italicized – as it were.
 
          As We went out and in
          Between Her final Room
          And Rooms where Those to be alive
          Tomorrow were, a Blame
 
          The Others could exist
          While She must finish quite
          A Jealousy for Her arose
          So nearly infinite –
 
We waited while She passed –
It was a narrow time –
Too jostled were Our Souls to speak
At length the notice came.
 
She mentioned, and forgot –
Then lightly as a Reed
Bent to the Water, struggled scarce –
Consented, and was dead –
 
          As We went out and in  
          Between Her final Room
          And Rooms where Those to be alive
          Tomorrow were, a Blame
 
          The Other could exist
          While She must finish quite
          A Jealousy for Her arose
          So nearly infinite –
 
The last Night that She lived
It was a Common Night
Except the Dying – this to Us
Made nature different
 
And We – we placed the Hair
And drew the Head erect –
And then an awful leisure was
Belief to regulate – 

 
          As We went out and in  
          Between Her final Room
          And Rooms where Those to be alive
          Tomorrow were, a Blame
 
          The Other could exist
          While She must finish quite
          A Jealousy for Her arose
          So nearly infinite –

The music is below -- click on the images to elarge.  I wrote the lyrics to the first verse and the chorus on the sheet music below, but I did not write the second and third verses, but you can see them above.
​ 

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PAGE 2
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PAGE 3
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Alas, I don't sing -- but you can listen to hte music below.  However, I did not take the repeat.   I only played through the song once so that you could hear the melody, and then I went to the ending. 
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Leave a Reply.

    Jim Asher

    This blog contains original songs I have written based on the poetry of Emily Dickinson and other poets.

    TO FIND A PARTICULAR SONG:

    Click in the archives below to access songs based on a particular poet or click on a specific poem title.

    Archives

    November 2020

    Categories

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    After Great Pain A Formal Feeling Comes
    Carolina Cabin
    E. E. Cummings
    Emily Dickinson
    Langston Hughes
    The Last Night That She Lived
    The Moon Was But A Chin Of Gold
    There Is A June When Corn Is Cut
    The Sun Just Touched The Morning
    When God Lets My Body Be

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