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Emily Dickinson - It was not Death, for I stood up,

It was not Death, for I stood up,
And all the Dead, lie down --
It was not Night, for all the Bells
Put out their Tongues, for Noon.

It was not Frost, for on my Flesh
I felt Siroccos -- crawl --
Nor Fire -- for just my Marble feet
Could keep a Chancel, cool --

And yet, it tasted, like them all,
The Figures I have seen
Set orderly, for Burial,
Reminded me, of mine --

As if my life were shaven,
And fitted to a frame,
And could not breathe without a key,
And 'twas like Midnight, some -

When everything that ticked -- has stopped --
And Space stares all around --
Or Grisly frosts -- first Autumn morns,
Repeal the Beating Ground --

But, most, like Chaos - Stopless -- cool --
Without a Chance, or Spar --
Or even a Report of Land --
To justify -- Despair.

Added: on March 17th, 2006 at 7:13 PM | Viewed: 7230 times | Comments and analysis of It was not Death, for I stood up, by Emily Dickinson Comments (13)


It was not Death, for I stood up, - Comments and Information

Poet: Emily Dickinson
Poem: 510. It was not Death, for I stood up,
Volume: Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
Year: Published/Written in 1955
Poem of the Day: Jun 10 2002

Comment 13 of 13, added on April 13th, 2007 at 12:40 PM.

This poem talks about how the speaker felt when she was having an illness and can't describe it you jackasses!!!

Julio from United States
Comment 12 of 13, added on February 5th, 2007 at 7:57 AM.

I think this poem is about how you feel like you have died when someone close to you dies. Your life is no longer complete "shaven away"...everything stops. you watch your life go by but YOU aren't really in it or experiencing it

Laura from United States
Comment 11 of 13, added on March 17th, 2006 at 7:13 PM.

Chancel is actually the part of the church that contains the choir and sanctuary.

Stephanie from United States

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