A Transport One Cannot Contain, by Emily Dickinson

A Transport One Cannot Contain

184

A transport one cannot contain

May yet a transport be—

Though God forbid it lift the lid—

Unto its Ecstasy!

A Diagram—of Rapture!

A sixpence at a Show—

With Holy Ghosts in Cages!

The Universe would go!

Witchcraft has not a Pedigree ’Tis early as our Breath And mourners meet it going out The moment of our death—

Yesterday is History, ’Tis so far away - Yesterday is Poetry - ’Tis Philosophy - Yesterday is mystery -

A little Dog that wags his tail And knows no other joy Of such a little Dog am I Reminded by a Boy Who gambols all the living Day

Growth of Man—like Growth of Nat… Gravitates within— Atmosphere, and Sun endorse it— Bit it stir—alone— Each—its difficult Ideal

175 I have never seen “Volcanoes”— But, when Travellers tell How those old—phlegmatic mountains Usually so still—

619 Glee—The great storm is over— Four—have recovered the Land— Forty gone down together— Into the boiling Sand.

81 We should not mind so small a flow… Except it quiet bring Our little garden that we lost Back to the Lawn again.

237 I think just how my shape will ris… When I shall be “forgiven”— Till Hair—and Eyes—and timid Hea… Are out of sight—in Heaven—

84 Her breast is fit for pearls, But I was not a “Diver”— Her brow is fit for thrones But I have not a crest.

There comes a warning like a spy A shorter breath of Day A stealing that is not a stealth And Summers are away

456 So well that I can live without— I love thee—then How well is that… As well as Jesus? Prove it me

The going from a world we know To one a wonder still Is like the child’s adversity Whose vista is a hill, Behind the hill is sorcery

515 No Crowd that has occurred Exhibit—I suppose That General Attendance That Resurrection—does—

565 One Anguish—in a Crowd— A Minor thing—it sounds— And yet, unto the single Doe Attempted of the Hounds

868 They ask but our Delight— The Darlings of the Soil And grant us all their Countenanc… For a penurious smile.