I cannot live with You -- - A poem by Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson - I cannot live with You --

I cannot live with You --
It would be Life --
And Life is over there --
Behind the Shelf

The Sexton keeps the Key to --
Putting up
Our Life -- His Porcelain --
Like a Cup --

Discarded of the Housewife --
Quaint -- or Broke --
A newer Sevres pleases --
Old Ones crack --

I could not die -- with You --
For One must wait
To shut the Other's Gaze down --
You -- could not --

And I -- Could I stand by
And see You -- freeze --
Without my Right of Frost --
Death's privilege?

Nor could I rise -- with You --
Because Your Face
Would put out Jesus' --
That New Grace

Glow plain -- and foreign
On my homesick Eye --
Except that You than He
Shone closer by --

They'd judge Us -- How --
For You -- served Heaven -- You know,
Or sought to --
I could not --

Because You saturated Sight --
And I had no more Eyes
For sordid excellence
As Paradise

And were You lost, I would be --
Though My Name
Rang loudest
On the Heavenly fame --

And were You -- saved --
And I -- condemned to be
Where You were not --
That self -- were Hell to Me --

So We must meet apart --
You there -- I -- here --
With just the Door ajar
That Oceans are -- and Prayer --
And that White Sustenance --
Despair --

Added: on January 30th, 2008 at 2:08 AM | Viewed: 10442 times | Comments and analysis of I cannot live with You -- by Emily Dickinson Comments (15)

I cannot live with You -- - Comments and Information
Poet: Emily Dickinson (Emily Dickinson Art) Poem: 640. I cannot live with You -- Volume: Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson Year: Published/Written in 1955 Poem of the Day: Jul 5 2003 Comment 15 of 15, added on January 17th, 2009 at 1:48 PM. i see that emily is afraid of death that s why she is optimistic about her love. even though we are togather in life but there is a day that we will separate by death elmadi from Morocco Comment 14 of 15, added on February 6th, 2008 at 10:26 AM. this poem shows how deeply disturbed emily d was. she loves someone but she doesnt want to be with that person. theperson she is referring to obviously used to love her but wants to moveon to bigger and better things. kalima from United States Comment 13 of 15, added on January 30th, 2008 at 2:08 AM. I thought the entire poem was actually reffering to her relationship with Jesus or her religion. "I cannnot live with you...And life is over there behind the shelf" speaks of Jesus, and how the shelf, that normally holds man's knowledge is what separates her and him. Then the sexton in the second stanza is talking about a church officer, saying that he has the control over the outcome of her life. Andrea More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, I cannot live with You --, has received 15 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Emily Dickinson with others on the American Poems poetry forum!

Poem Info
Poet: Emily Dickinson Poem: 640. I cannot live with You -- Volume: Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson Year: Published/Written in 1955 Last read: Dec 22 2009, 7:05PM Poem of the Day: Jul 5 2003 Viewed 10442 times. Added on January 30th, 2008 at 2:08 AM.

Dickinson Info
Biography More Poems (1775 poems) Books