I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, 1
And Mourners to and fro
Kept treading－treading－till it seemed
That Sense was breaking through－
And when they all were seated, 5
A Service, like a Drum－
Kept beating－beating－till I thought
My Mind was going numb－
And then I heard them lift a Box 9
And creak across my Soul
With those same Boots of Lead, again,
Then Space－began to toll,
As all the Heavens were a Bell, 13
And Being, but an Ear,
And I, and Silence, some strange Race
Wrecked, solitary, here－
And then a Plank in Reason, broke, 17
And I dropped down, and down－
And hit a World, at every plunge,
And Finished knowing－then－
And Mourners to and fro
Kept treading－treading－till it seemed
That Sense was breaking through－
And when they all were seated, 5
A Service, like a Drum－
Kept beating－beating－till I thought
My Mind was going numb－
And then I heard them lift a Box 9
And creak across my Soul
With those same Boots of Lead, again,
Then Space－began to toll,
As all the Heavens were a Bell, 13
And Being, but an Ear,
And I, and Silence, some strange Race
Wrecked, solitary, here－
And then a Plank in Reason, broke, 17
And I dropped down, and down－
And hit a World, at every plunge,
And Finished knowing－then－
(F.340/J.280)
[1] I:: the barley. a Funeral:: the process of root beer as funeral for the barley. Brain:: the marrow, pith of a plant; a hint on bran.
[2] Mourners:: those who mourn for their hard work in the field.
[3-4] treading, Sense, through:: to separate the grain from barley's stems.
[6-7] Service, Drum, beating:: a service to crush the grain for bran and flour.
[9] Box:: a container, barrel for fermentation.
[10] creak across my Soul:: the creaking sound of the closing of the box.
[11] same Boots of Lead:: the same people beating the grain.
[12] toll:: to take away, bar, defeat, annul (OED v.4); the space being taken away when the box closed.
[13] Bell:: a bell-shaped space.
[14] Ear:: the part of a cereal plant which contains its flowers or seeds (OED n.2). Being, an Ear:: the barley's life is in its ear.
[15] Race:: a root (of ginger) (OED n.6 ), used to flavor the beer.
[16] Wrecked, solitary:: the fermentation.
[17] a Plank in Reason, broke:: a plank of the barrel was broken after the beer judged fine to drink.
[18] dropped down, and down:: pouring the beer into cups.
[19] plunge:: the fall or breaking of a wave; a heavy downpour of rain (OED n. 4);
[19] every plunge:: every drop of the beer.
[20] Finished knowing:: end of the barley's life.
ROOT BEER. Take a pint of bran, a handful of hops, some twigs of spruce, hemlock or cedar, a little sassafras, or not, as you have it; roots of every kind; plantain, burdocks, docks, dandelions, &c, &c.; boil and strain, add a spoonful of ginger, molasses, to make pleasant, and a cup of yeast; this for one gallon. ─ Hand Book of Practical Receipts (1860)
