E-Text

Emily Dickinson's Collected Poems

Part Four: Time and Eternity 47. I read my sentence steadily

I read my sentence steadily,

Reviewed it with my eyes,

To see that I made no mistake

In its extremest clause, --


The date, and manner of the shame;

And then the pious form

That "God have mercy" on the soul

The jury voted him.


I made my soul familiar

With her extremity,

That at the last it should not be

A novel agony,


But she and Death, acquainted,

Meet tranquilly as friends,

Salute and pass without a hint --

And there the matter ends.