I heard a fly buzz -when I died - Emily Dickinson (1896); Death Be Not Proud - John Donne (1633); Starry Night - Anne Sexton (1962) - Perspectives on Death in Poetry

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[...] Acceptance and Surrender In the bosom of these poems of defiance and passivity, here is also a specific clearance of acceptance and duties. In heard a fly buzz, when I died," Dickinson speaker already recognizes the unavoidable fact of death, stating the hollowness of physical connections of the earth to the hopelessness of death. Similarly, Donne's speaker also accepts death as a natural component of human life; thereby, he overcame the fear of the unknown. Last but not least, just saying "death shall be no more" repeats the belief in the fact that life is the winner over death (Donne). [...]

[...] Works Cited Dickinson, Emily, and Petra Press. I Heard a Fly Buzz--when I Died. Arion Press, 1998. Donne, John. "Death, be not proud." 2022. [...]

[...] Hence, he comforts us regarding that fact that we cannot escape death, rehearsing the death to come repeatedly, anxiously asking oneself, "why swell'st thou then?" (Donne) The vision of death as a bringing back into the universe is very well pictured in Sexton's poetry and remains the part of the generalizing thread of accepting and surrendering. Getting "knocked down into the race of that dying storm of the night" means the wish to find a way to communicate with the power that directs fate, leaving the concerns of personal ego behind (Sexton). In these acceptance times of acceptance such death is fragility not feared but embraced as an enigmatic part of our human trip. Conclusion In conclusion, the poetry of Dickinson, Donne, and Sexton offers a rich tapestry of perspectives on death, ranging from fear and defiance to acceptance and surrender. Through vivid imagery, metaphor, and symbolism, these poets invite readers to contemplate the enigmatic nature of mortality and find solace in the face of the unknown. Ultimately, their poetry serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring quest for meaning amidst the inevitability of death. [...]

[...] Sexton, Ann. "The Starry Night" in The Complete Poems of Anne Sexton." 1981. [...]

[...] I heard a fly buzz -when I died - Emily Dickinson (1896); Death Be Not Proud - John Donne (1633); Starry Night - Anne Sexton (1962) - Perspectives on Death in Poetry University of Washington Introduction Among all the subjects researched, those of human life are always of the most significant interest, and none rivals the topic of death in terms of a captivating and meaningful theme. Through the lens of poetry, this essay delves into the varied perspectives on death as portrayed in three distinct poems: The vulnerable feeling of the final moment of Emily Dickinson's heard a fly buzz -when I died," quiet reflection of John Donne's "Death Be Not Proud," and darkness of Anne Sexton's "Starry Night." Each author tells a personal contemplation of mortality, and personal revelations are disclosed to pose the question of enigmatic death. The elegies of Dickinson, Donne, and Sexton amply demonstrate the association between death and irregularity, unsettling mainstream assumptions and exhorting men and women to think on an issue of certainty. However, each poem deals with this issue from a different angle; yet, when taken together, these different approaches present a canvass of opinions that deepen our awareness of mortality. [...]