In this short Life
That only lasts an hour
How much—how little—is
Within our power
—Emily Dickinson, The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, Back Bay Books 1976
In this short Life
That only lasts an hour
How much—how little—is
Within our power
—Emily Dickinson, The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, Back Bay Books 1976
I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,
And Mourners to and fro
Kept treading – treading – till it seemed
That Sense was breaking through –
And when they all were seated,
A Service, like a Drum –
Kept beating – beating – till I thought
My mind was going numb –
And then I heard them lift a Box
And creak across my Soul
With those same Boots of Lead, again,
Then Space – began to toll,
As all the Heavens were a Bell,
And Being, but an Ear,
And I, and Silence, some strange Race,
Wrecked, solitary, here –
And then a Plank in Reason, broke,
And I dropped down, and down –
And hit a World, at every plunge,
And Finished knowing – then –
— Emily Dickinson The Poems of Emily Dickinson: Variorum Edition, Harvard University Press, 1983
The Soul should always stand ajar
That if the Heaven inquire
He will not be obliged to wait
Or shy of troubling Her
Depart, before the Host have slid
The Bolt unto the Door —
To search for the accomplished Guest,
Her Visitor, no more —
—Emily Dickinson, Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, 1955
Heart, we will forget him!
You and I, tonight!
You may forget the warmth he gave,
I will forget the light.
When you have done, pray tell me
That I my thoughts may dim;
Haste! lest while you’re lagging.
I may remember him!
—Emily Dickinson (1850)
I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you — Nobody — Too?
Then there’s a pair of us?
Don’t tell! they’d advertise — you know!
How dreary — to be — Somebody!
How public — like a Frog —
To tell one’s name — the livelong June —
To an admiring Bog!
—Emily Dickinson, Poems/Emily Dickinson, Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets, 1993