Emily Dickinson's poems as song lyrics

[Bee]

Hi there,

I'm curious to hear opinions about these songs,
in which Emily Dickinson's poems are presented as sung lyrics:


Each that we lose takes part of us;
A crescent still abides,
Which like the moon, some turbid night,
is summoned by the tides
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3eega6xzHU

and:

Nature rarer uses Yellow
Than another Hue.
Saves she all of that for Sunsets
Prodigal of Blue

Spending Scarlet, like a Woman
Yellow she affords
Only scantly and selectly
Like a Lover's Words.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTdkiMYE7rs



Thx!
Bee

[YesNo]

Nice idea to put these poems to music. I liked the second one better than the first perhaps because I understood the poem more easily. The first poem had the idea that the tides summoned the moon which is backward from the way I think of it, and that just exposes my bias. The earth being larger would have more influence on the whole system than the moon. The music was soothing.

[Bee]

Thanks for your response!

Your right that this moon - tides relation in the first poem is a bit strange,
but this particular strangeness seems to be typical for Dickinson and I like
the idea that that remaining "crescent" is summoned by the tides,
although it's meant to summon itself.

Bee

[Asha Jane]

I wrote a song based on The Soul Selects Her Own Society (303) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1v7vWj20ko&feature=share
I'd be interested to know what fellow Dickinson fans think.

[AuntShecky]

I remember having read a passage in Infinite Jest in which one of DFW's characters notes that Emily's poem "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" could be sung to the tune of "The Yellow Rose of Texas."

[YesNo]

Very nice song, Asha! Best of luck with your music.