“I heard a Fly buzz – when I died – Summary”
Emily Dickinson’s poem “I heard a Fly buzz – when I died –” presents a calm, eerie reflection on the moment of death, but with an unexpected twist. The speaker, who has already died, recounts the moments just before death, offering a rare and intimate first-person perspective of dying.
The atmosphere is still and silent, as if waiting for something sacred or final to happen—like the arrival of “the King” (which may symbolize God, death, or eternity). Loved ones are gathered around, tearful but composed, and the speaker has already willed away her possessions, signaling she was prepared to go.
But just then, a common, trivial fly buzzes in the room, interrupting the solemn moment. This small and annoying creature becomes a symbol of the randomness and ordinariness of death, contrasting sharply with the expected spiritual grandeur.
The final image is that of darkness descending—“the Windows failed”—signifying the speaker’s sight fading and perhaps the soul passing away.