E-Text

Emily Dickinson's Collected Poems

Part Four: Time and Eternity 20. The last night that she lived

The last night that she lived,

It was a common night,

Except the dying; this to us

Made nature different.


We noticed smallest things, --

Things overlooked before,

By this great light upon our minds

Italicized, as 't were.


That others could exist

While she must finish quite,

A jealousy for her arose

So nearly infinite.


We waited while she passed;

It was a narrow time,

Too jostled were our souls to speak,

At length the notice came.


She mentioned, and forgot;

Then lightly as a reed

Bent to the water, shivered scarce,

Consented, and was dead.


And we, we placed the hair,

And drew the head erect;

And then an awful leisure was,

Our faith to regulate.