In my belief this poem is about someone who is going to kill themselves or is writing about someone else killing themselves.
This is my interpretation:
Quote:
what a to-do to die to day
It's on a mental list of things to do today; a decision to kill themselves.
Quote:
so we'll beat a tattoo at twenty to two
with a rat-a-ta-tat-a-ta-tat-a-tatoo
They have a specific place they want to self harm themselves. I believe they have already "marked" the spot. Could be a wrist or a shot in the head.
Quote:
at a minute or two to two today
at a minute or two to two
It could happen at any given time, but since the actual act of suicide is hard to do they might hesitate and give it a little more time.
Quote:
and the dragoon will come when he hears the drum
Blood will come out once they commence the cutting or when they shoot themselves in the head. OR it could be their soul that leaves their body once it knows he/she is dead.
Quote:
at a minute or two to two
a completely difficult thing to say
and harder still to do
Once again, the suicide is still a hesitant thing. It might be fear of pain, or fear of death, or maybe even fear of life after death.
This is how I see it.
Sarah
