Caroline Burlingham
H. Salsich
English
May 4, 2009

Distance and Separation:
An Essay Relating Two Poems and something in My Life

What does it mean to “part”? Does it only refer to physical beings, or can your thoughts and intangible (FAST) feelings part as well? To me, it’s a separation of two or more nouns. It can be the departure of a person, a life, or an idea that separates one being or thing from another. Of course, people can have different opinions on parting and separation, just like Naomi Shihab Nye and Emily Dickinson. These two women expressed their ideas through their poetry.

Dickinson once wrote a nameless poem in which she discussed her feelings about parting and closure. The final lines of her poem state, “Parting is all we know of heaven, / [a]nd all we need of hell,” which shows her direct feelings about departure. It seems to tell the reader that Dickinson thought of separation as a negative thing, considering she wrote about it being in hell, apposed to knowing about it in heaven (Loose Sentence). Her words are strong, direct, and to the point. In the opening lines of her poem, she talks of immortality. Many people believe that she is writing about death, but it is possible that she, like me, thought that separation is more than just putting distance between two items. When someone dies, their being is gone, but their memories can never depart. Time is a form measurement, and somethings can last forever.

Nye’s poem, “Adios,” focuses less on where and what parting is, and more on time and how you should “part.” Saying goodbye to something or someone you care about can be difficult, but Nye seems to know the best way. She says that you should, “Wear it on every finger / till your hands dance, / touching everything easily, / letting everything, easily, go.” It seems that if you “wear it on your finger,” or keep it, close to you, you will be prepared for anything unexpected. Nye believes that everything is known for something when they part, good or bad. She appears to believe that you should make the most of a goodbye and, “If you are known for anything, / [you should] let it be the way you rise out of sight when your work is finished.” Considering the fact that more often than not it’s your last impression that “sticks,” you should always leave on a good note (Periodic Sentence). Lastly, Nye wrote about how long it should take you to part. Not only should you leave on a good note, but it’s almost better to leave promptly (FAST). If you linger along for too long, like the “cartons and napkins, [and] the damp smell of mold,” it will be more enervating (SAT) for everyone. Unlike most people, Nye sees a separation as an opportunity; as your last chance to make your mark.

One thing that I noticed when reading these poems was that my own feelings of departure and separation are mentioned in both, despite their differences. In Dickinson’s poem, I noticed that parting is “immortal.” Even if something is gone, the memories can survive and something new will fill in the empty space. As a band once said, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” In Nye’s poem, I agreed that everything has an end, so there is no point in avoiding it. When it comes time to go, “Think of things that linger,” and then, “Think of things that disappear.” Like Mr. Salsich said, it’s almost a good thing to see someone go quickly, versus lingering like my grandmother did. She was sick for three years before saying her goodbyes, and it made things harder for everyone, including herself. I have never liked witnessing a separation, but sometimes, it’s for the better; everything has an end .

Nye and Dickinson both recognize the importance and inevitability of parting. They both seem to understand that it is part of life. Dickinson has experienced closure in throughout her years, but Nye is prepared for the future. They may not agree on a defined definition of “parting” or “separation,” but we are all different. It’s these internal thoughts that put us aside, or separate us from each other. They help us make our mark when its time to go.