I heard a fly buzz when I died

I heard a Fly buzz -- when I died -- 
The Stillness [in the Room]1
Was like the Stillness in the Air -- 
Between the Heaves of Storm.

The Eyes [around]2 -- had wrung them dry -- 
And Breaths were gathering [sure]3
For that last Onset -- when the King
Be witnessed -- in [the Room]4 -- 

I willed my Keepsakes -- Signed away
What portion of me [be
Assignable -- and then it was]5
There interposed a Fly -- 

With Blue -- uncertain stumbling Buzz -- 
Between the light -- and me -- 
And then the Windows failed -- and then
I could not see to see --

by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) , no title, from Poems by Emily Dickinson, published 1896

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Norman Dinerstein (1937-) , "Dying", published 1972 [soprano and string quartet], from Four Settings for Soprano and String Quartet, no. ?
by Brian Holmes (1946-) , "I heard a fly buzz when I died" [soprano, chorus, children's chorus, and orchestra], from Amherst Requiem, no. 3.
by William Sydeman (1928-) , "I heard a fly buzz when I died", published 1970 [soprano or tenor and violoncello], from Three Songs after Emily Dickinson, no. ?

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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