Because I could not stop for death

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. -- civility: politeness

We passed the School, where Children played

Their lessons scarcely done;

We passed the Fields of gazing grain, -- gazing grain: grain as it leans toward the sun

We passed the Setting Sun. --

We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground; --

The Roof was scarcely visible, --

The Cornice -- in the Ground. -- cornice: a horizontal molding projecting along

the top of a wall or building.

Since then -- 'tis Centuries; but each

Feels shorter than the Day

I first surmised the Horses' Heads surmised: inferred or guessed

Were toward Eternity. --

COMPREHENSION AND DISCUSSION:

1. Who stops to pick her up?

2. Notice how death is portrayed in this poem. What picture of death do you get from this poem?

3. Why do you think the speaker could not stop for death? Explain the first two lines of the1 poem.

4. What does the portrayal of death in the poem say about the speaker’s attitude toward the subject?

5. What does the carriage pass? What might these objects symbolize in terms of one’s life?

6. What kind of house is the speaker describing?

7. Toward what is the carriage heading?

8. In your opinion, is the speaker surprised, calm, or afraid when she realizes that she is travelling toward her grave? Explain your answer.

9. What is your conception of death? Do you believe in immortality?

10. What is unusual about her description of death?

11. What is the most memorable aspect of her poetry?

This is my letter to the world

This is my letter to the World

That never wrote to Me –

The simple News that Nature told –

With tender Majesty

Her Message is committed

To Hands I cannot see –

For love of Her – Sweet – countrymen –

Judge tenderly – of Me

COMPREHENSION AND DISCUSSION:

1. What is your impression of the speaker in this poem?

2. Dickinson’s poetry is her ‘letter to the World.’ What can you infer about her life from her statement that no one wrote back?

3. How does an understanding of Dickinson's publishing history help us to understand this poem?

4. Find the words and phrases that show the poet’s attitude towards Nature. What kind of nature is the speaker describing?

5. What is a letter? How does this image work in this poem?

288

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 Bog!

COMPREHENSION AND DISCUSSION:

1. What connections do you see between this poem and others Dickinson wrote?

2. How does this poem fit Dickinson's personal reputation?