I felt a Funeral, in my Brain — Root Beer

This poem describes the process of root beer. The key is Race, a root of ginger, used to flavor the beer, and Ear the head of any cereal containing the kernels. The making of beer is like writing a poem, from bran to brain.

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－

(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)