Life poems
/ page 830 of 844 /
When One has given up One's life
© Emily Dickinson
When One has given up One's life
The parting with the rest
Feels easy, as when Day lets go
Entirely the West
What would I give to see his face?
© Emily Dickinson
Then I have "shares" in Primrose "Banks" --
Daffodil Dowries -- spicy "Stocks" --
Dominions -- broad as Dew --
Bags of Doublons -- adventurous Bees
Brought me -- from firmamental seas --
And Purple -- from Peru --
What Twigs We held by --
© Emily Dickinson
What Twigs We held by --
Oh the View
When Life's swift River striven through
We pause before a further plunge
To take Momentum --
As the Fringe
Wert Thou but ill -- that I might show thee
© Emily Dickinson
Wert Thou but ill -- that I might show thee
How long a Day I could endure
Though thine attention stop not on me
Nor the least signal, Me assure --
We knew not that we were to live --
© Emily Dickinson
We knew not that we were to live --
Nor when -- we are to die --
Our ignorance -- our cuirass is --
We wear Mortality
We -- Bee and I -- live by the quaffing
© Emily Dickinson
We -- Bee and I -- live by the quaffing --
'Tisn't all Hock -- with us --
Life has its Ale --
But it's many a lay of the Dim Burgundy --
We chant -- for cheer -- when the Wines -- fail --
Upon Concluded Lives
© Emily Dickinson
Upon Concluded Lives
There's nothing cooler falls --
Than Life's sweet Calculations --
The mixing Bells and Palls --
Up Life's Hill with my my little Bundle
© Emily Dickinson
Up Life's Hill with my my little Bundle
If I prove it steep --
If a Discouragement withhold me --
If my newest step
Truth -- is as old as God --
© Emily Dickinson
Truth -- is as old as God --
His Twin identity
And will endure as long as He
A Co-Eternity --
To lose one's faith -- surpass
© Emily Dickinson
To lose one's faith -- surpass
The loss of an Estate --
Because Estates can be
Replenished -- faith cannot --
To earn it by disdaining it
© Emily Dickinson
To earn it by disdaining it
Is Fame's consummate Fee --
He loves what spurns him --
Look behind -- He is pursuing thee.
To die -- without the Dying
© Emily Dickinson
To die -- without the Dying
And live -- without the Life
This is the hardest Miracle
Propounded to Belief.
Three times -- we parted -- Breath -- and I --
© Emily Dickinson
Three times -- we parted -- Breath -- and I --
Three times -- He would not go --
But strove to stir the lifeless Fan
The Waters -- strove to stay.
Those fair -- fictitious People
© Emily Dickinson
Those fair -- fictitious People --
The Women -- plucked away
From our familiar Lifetime --
The Men of Ivory --
There is a Languor of the Life
© Emily Dickinson
There is a Languor of the Life
More imminent than Pain --
'Tis Pain's Successor -- When the Soul
Has suffered all it can --
There is a flower that Bees prefer
© Emily Dickinson
There is a flower that Bees prefer --
And Butterflies -- desire --
To gain the Purple Democrat
The Humming Bird -- aspire --
Their Height in Heaven comforts not --
© Emily Dickinson
Their Height in Heaven comforts not --
Their Glory -- nought to me --
'Twas best imperfect -- as it was --
I'm finite -- I can't see --
The Sunset stopped on Cottages
© Emily Dickinson
The Sunset stopped on Cottages
Where Sunset hence must be
For treason not of His, but Life's,
Gone Westerly, Today --
The Sun -- just touched the Morning
© Emily Dickinson
The Sun -- just touched the Morning --
The Morning -- Happy thing --
Supposed that He had come to dwell --
And Life would all be Spring!
The Props assist the House
© Emily Dickinson
The Props assist the House
Until the House is built
And then the Props withdraw
And adequate, erect,
