The last Night that She Lived - Emily Dickinson

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The last Night that She lived

It was a Common Night

Except the Dying – this to Us

Made Nature different

We noticed smallest things –

Things overlooked before

By this great light upon our Minds

Italicized – as ‘twere.

As we went out and in

Between her final Room

And Rooms where Those to be alive

Tomorrow were, a Blame

That others could exist

While she must finish quite

A Jealousy for Her arose

So nearly infinite –

We waited while She passed –

It was a narrow time –

Too jostled were Our Souls to speak

At length the notice came.

She mentioned, and forgot –

Then lightly as a Reed

Bend to the water, struggled scarce –

Consented, and was dead –

And We – We placed her Hair –

And drew the Head erect –

And then an awful leisure was

Belief to regulate –

Emily Dickinson

Comments …

Life going on as normal or common in comparison … this one thing now stands out to make life different … pending death and the process of dying reaching a climax… something unfamiliar to the speaker

Implies a slowing down … and because of the intense focus there is now time to observe … little things unnoticed … the mind working hard illuminated by this energy … and at the same time caught noticing little insignificant things … (which of course may be remembered in association for many years) ... like words falling over (italics) ... seen differently

The in and out between the room of the dying … and the rooms of the living … the contrast with life and death … the blame that others will be living tomorrow brings such intense jealousy for death which is about to capture her … showing how much the person means to the living … or is needed by the living

A narrow time … total tunnel finish focus … no thoughts elsewhere …souls in turmoil … near death … the situation inhibiting conversation

Then the notice came (perhaps for those waiting outside) … the final moments and the last light (scarce) struggle with something wanted to be said and then left … and the inevitable consent

The physical things that needed to be done … and then time broadens into awful leisure in which the living must rely on their belief (religion) to regulate their loss

A moving poem perhaps written from personal experience from one close to her.