Because I Could not stop for Death

Because I could not stop for Death – 

He kindly stopped for me – 

The Carriage held but just Ourselves – 

And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste

And I had put away

My labor and my leisure too,

For His Civility – 

We passed the School, where Children strove

At Recess – in the Ring – 

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain – 

We passed the Setting Sun – 

Or rather – He passed us – 

The Dews drew quivering and chill – 

For only Gossamer, my Gown – 

My Tippet – only Tulle – 

We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground – 

The Roof was scarcely visible – 

The Cornice – in the Ground – 

Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet

Feels shorter than the Day

I first surmised the Horses' Heads

Were toward Eternity – 

Repetion: "We passed the . . ."

Rhyme: Slant rhyme Line 2 and 4 (me and immortality)

Emily personifies Death as a gentleman taking a lady out on a stroll. Death is a visitor in her eyes .

Death is not cruel or wicked , but kind . Emily suggests that Death takes his time as he shows her life to her

childhood as seen in the last stanza . We believe that Dickinson compares the "house" to her grave in the 5th

stanza and the carriage represents a hearse .