One need not be a Chamber — to be Haunted —
One need not be a House —
The Brain has Corridors — surpassing
Material Place —
Far safer, of a Midnight Meeting
External Ghost
Than its interior Confronting —
That Cooler Host.
Far safer, through an Abbey gallop,
The Stones a’chase —
Than Unarmed, one’s a’self encounter —
In lonesome Place —
Ourself behind ourself, concealed —
Should startle most —
Assassin hid in our Apartment
Be Horror’s least.
The Body — borrows a Revolver —
He bolts the Door —
O’erlooking a superior spectre —
Or More —
well since no one’s posted here yet i guess i will be the first to share my interpretation.
first stanza: basically ed is saying you don’t need to be a chamber to be haunted because you carry your own haunted place with you.
second stanza: Far safer, of a midnight meeting external ghost = it is safer to see a ghost (physically, externally, on the outside) than to confront the interior, which is your mind.
second to last stanza: it is much more dangerous to look inside yourself than looking on the outside.
nothing’s scarrier than our inner selves.
last stanza: you can’t keep out the major intruder which is part of yourself.