Emily Dickinson, "[Because I could not stop for Death—]"

Included in the Seagull Reader

Text on p. 1239 of the full Ninth Edition and p. 980 of the shorter Ninth Edition.






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Because I could not stop for Death—
He kindly stopped for me—
The Carriage held but just Ourselves—
And Immortality.

We slowly drove—He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For his Civility—

We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess—in the Ring—
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain—
We passed the Setting Sun—

Or rather—He passed Us—
The Dews drew quivering and chill—
For only Gossamer, my Gown—
My Tippet—only Tulle—

We paused before a House that seemed
A swelling of the Ground—
The Roof was scarcely visible—
The Cornice—in the Ground—

Since then—'tis Centuries—and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity—

Reading Questions

1. Read the poem aloud, pausing briefly at the dashes and the line endings. What picture and actions does the poem create in your mind? How do you visualize the speaker and Death?

2. What is the tone of the poem? How does the speaker seem to feel about Death and Immortality?

 



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