Arnold as Emily Dickinson

Poem #465

I heard a fly Buzz—when I died—

So I killed it—Hasta la vista, fly.

This poem is about the crushing disappointment Schwartzenegger feels with his life. The word “fly” obviously refers to his experience with the Harrier jet in True Lies. The fact that it makes a “buzz,” instead of the full-throated roar more commonly associated with the Harrier, refers to the tiny, false-seeming satisfaction Schwartzenegger has received from his life, rather than the big, manly satisfaction that is customary for big, manly men. He hears this when he dies because before this fateful moment he is realizing the truth about his life. The second line is a futile attempt to relieve this disappointment. By killing the fly and saying “Hasta la vista,” he is trying to relive the glories of his movies. However, the imperfect rhyme at the end of this line suggests that Schwartzenegger knows this is an imperfect solution, and adds the final crushing note of sorrow to this tragic odyssey.

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