Life IX The heart asks pleasure first, And then, excuse from pain; And then, those little anodynes That deaden suffering And then, to go to sleep; And then, if it should be The will of its Inquisitor, The liberty to die. Emily Dickinson
“Hope” is the Thing with Feathers– “Hope” is the thing with feathers— That perches in the soul— And sings the tune without the words— And never stops—at all— And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard— And sore must be the storm— That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm— I’ve heard it in the [...]
“Heaven” has Different Signs—to Me “Heaven” has different Signs—to me— Sometimes, I think that Noon Is but a symbol of the Place— And when again, at Dawn, A mighty look runs round the World And settles in the Hills— An Awe if it should be like that Upon the Ignorance steals— The Orchard, when the [...]
If I Should Die If I should die, And you should live, And time should gurgle on, And morn should beam, And noon should burn, As it has usual done; If birds should build as early, And bees as bustling go,– One might depart at option From enterprise below! ‘Tis sweet to know that stocks [...]
Part One: Life VI IF I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain. Emily Dickinson
A Clock Stopped A Clock stopped — Not the Mantel’s — Geneva’s farthest skill Can’t put the puppet bowing — That just now dangled still — An awe came on the Trinket! The Figures hunched, with pain — Then quivered out of Decimals — Into Degreeless Noon — It will not stir for Doctors — [...]
I’m Nobody! Who are you? 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 [...]
An Awful Tempest Mashed the Air An awful tempest mashed the air, The clouds were gaunt and few; A black, as of a spectre’s cloak, Hid heaven and earth from view. The creatures chuckled on the roofs And whistled in the air, And shook their fists and gnashed their teeth, And swung their frenzied hair. [...]
