Emily Dickinson's poems as song lyrics

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

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.

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

I wrote a song based on The Soul Selects Her Own Society (303) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1v7...&feature=share
I'd be interested to know what fellow Dickinson fans think.

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."

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