To know just how He suffered — would be dear —

To know just how He suffered — would be dear —
To know if any Human eyes were near
To whom He could entrust His wavering gaze —
Until it settle broad — on Paradise —

To know if He was patient — part content —
Was Dying as He thought — or different —
Was it a pleasant Day to die —
And did the Sunshine face his way —

What was His furthest mind — Of Home — or God —
Or what the Distant say —
At news that He ceased Human Nature
Such a Day —

And Wishes — Had He Any —
Just His Sigh — Accented —
Had been legible — to Me —
And was He Confident until
Ill fluttered out — in Everlasting Well —

And if He spoke — What name was Best —
What last
What One broke off with
At the Drowsiest —

Was He afraid — or tranquil —
Might He know
How Conscious Consciousness — could grow —
Till Love that was — and Love too best to be —
Meet — and the Junction be Eternity

Analysis, meaning and summary of Emily Dickinson's poem To know just how He suffered — would be dear —

3 Comments

  1. Wallace says:

    Indeed i have come a cross the interpetation of this poem being about the death of christ and many have made compelling arguements which conservatives may find hard to go against. However being nore on the liberal side, i like to think a poem should be left up to the reader to decide as we all are different and unique hence we will not always see eye to eye. I would like to note that in the case of Andreea’s interpetation, it is convincing enough to sway some of my contemplations of this poem. However both of the interpetations were intellectual and valid as much what the poem meant to Emily herself.

  2. lin says:

    I think that Emily Dickinson is writing about Christ diing on the cross. And I feel that she feels great simpothy for him an truly wants to know everything that happened to him that day on the cross. Like when she says, “What was his furthest mind, of home or of God.” That basically says was he thinking of his heavenly home or what God, his father, was thinking at that moment. I really thought this brought out the spiritual side in Emily Dickinson. I did not realize she was so interested.

  3. andreea says:

    .
    “To know just how he suffered would be dear ”is a poem where Dickinson expresses her belief about the experience of dying and she wonders of what happens during death. For the “HE” of this poem Dickinson suggests that the only place to reach after death is paradise. The dying person’s final look will be on paradise as if at the point of death he sees what is to come. Dickinson herself wants to know everything about this person’s final breath and even more. He would have liked him not to be alone in these moments “To know if any Human eyes were near.” These are somehow the questions related to the experience of dying. Dickinson also insists on the last thoughts of the one who dies and whether or not he thinks of God “What was His furthest mind- Of Home- or God-.“ Questions are raised about the person’s attachments to the world already known rather than insights into another world after death.
    There is a certain wonder from Dickinson’s part through the end of the poem, whether or not there is a connection between the love that existed during life and love that is to be, after life. She finds out that the communion between the past and future love result to be eternity “Till Love that was- and Love too best to be-/ Meet- and the Junction be Eternity.”

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