’Twas comfort in her Dying Room, by Emily Dickinson

’Twas comfort in her Dying Room

To hear the living Clock—

A short relief to have the wind

Walk boldly up and knock—

Diversion from the Dying Theme

To hear the children play—

But wrong the more

That these could live

And this of ours must die.

Renunciation—is a piercing Virtue… The letting go A Presence—for an Expectation— Not now— The putting out of Eyes—

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.

228 Blazing in Gold and quenching in… Leaping like Leopards to the Sky Then at the feet of the old Horiz… Laying her spotted Face to die

XIX I STARTED early, took my dog, And visited the sea; The mermaids in the basement Came out to look at me,

91 So bashful when I spied her! So pretty—so ashamed! So hidden in her leaflets Lest anybody find—

291 How the old Mountains drip with S… How the Hemlocks burn— How the Dun Brake is draped in C… By the Wizard Sun—

XXXVII For each ecstatic instant We must an anguish pay In keen and quivering ratio To the ecstasy.

425 Good Morning—Midnight— I’m coming Home— Day—got tired of Me— How could I—of Him?

907 Till Death’—is narrow Loving’— The scantest Heart extant Will hold you till your privilege Of Finiteness’—be spent’—

960 As plan for Noon and plan for Nig… So differ Life and Death In positive Prospective— The Foot upon the Earth

845 Be Mine the Doom— Sufficient Fame— To perish in Her Hand!

540 I took my Power in my Hand— And went against the World— ’Twas not so much as David—had— But I—was twice as bold—

462 Why make it doubt — it hurts it so… So sick — to guess — So strong — to know — So brave — upon its little Bed

901 Sweet, to have had them lost For news that they be saved— The nearer they departed Us The nearer they, restored,

LXII A DROP fell on the apple tree Another on the roof; A half a dozen kissed the eaves, And made the gables laugh.