On Love:
For love is immortality.
I argue thee that love is life. And life hath immortality.
Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality.
But love is tired and must sleep,
And hungry and must graze
And so abets the shining Fleet
Till it is out of gaze.
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
Lest Love should value less
What Loss would value more
Had it the stricken privilege,
It cherishes before.
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
That Love is all there is,
Is all we know of Love;
It is enough, the freight should be
Proportioned to the groove.
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
Garrisoned no Soul can be
In the Front of Trouble —
Love is one, not aggregate —
Nor is Dying double —
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
Love is like Life — merely longer
Love is like Death, during the Grave
Love is the Fellow of the Resurrection
Scooping up the Dust and chanting “Live”!
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
Love is anterior to life, posterior to death, initial of creation, and the exponent of breath.
That love is all there is is all we know of love.
On Life:
The life is thick — I know it!
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
Escape — it is the Basket
In which the Heart is caught
When down some awful Battlement
The rest of Life is dropt —
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
I cannot live with You —
It would be Life —
And Life is over there —
Behind the Shelf
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
The River reaches to my feet —
As yet — My Heart be dry —
Oh Lover — Life could not convince —
Might Death — enable Thee —
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
On Death:
A Toad, can die of Light —
Death is the Common Right
Of Toads and Men —
Of Earl and Midge
The privilege —
Why swagger, then?
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
Pardon the Cochineal —
Suffer the Vermillion —
Death is the Wealth
Of the Poorest Bird.
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
Death is the supple Suitor That wins at last It is a stealthy Wooing Conducted first By pallid innuendoes And dim approach But brave at last with Bugles
Death is a Dialogue between The Spirit and the Dust. Dissolve says DeathThe Spirit Sir I have another Trust Death doubts itArgues from the Ground The Spirit turns away Just laying off for evidence An Overcoat of Clay.
On Success:
Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne’er succeed.
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
Success is counted sweetest by those who never succeed.
Success is counted sweetest by those who ne’er succeed. To comprehend a nectar requires sorest need.
On Obstacle:
Lest this be Heaven indeed
An Obstacle is given
That always gauges a Degree
Between Ourself and Heaven.
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
On God:
They say that God is everywhere, and yet we always think of Him as somewhat of a recluse.
The Red upon the Hill
Taketh away my will —
If anybody sneer —
Take care — for God is here —
That’s all.
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)
If “God is Love” as he admits
We think that me must be
Because he is a “jealous God”
He tells us certainly
(From: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson)