Analysis of To know just how He suffered—would be dear

Emily Dickinson 1830 (Amherst) – 1886 (Amherst)



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


Scheme AAXX BXXC XCXC DXDXX XXXB XEEDD
Poetic Form
Metre 1111110111 1111010101 11110111001 011101110 1111110110 1101111100 11010111 0101111 1111011111 110101 111111010 101 0101110 111100 1110011 01110001 110100101 01111111 11 11111 101 1101110 111 11010011 1111011111 1001010100
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 852
Words 143
Sentences 1
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 5, 4, 5
Lines Amount 26
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 105
Words per stanza (avg) 24
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 25, 2023

42 sec read
201

Emily Dickinson

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet. more…

All Emily Dickinson poems | Emily Dickinson Books

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    Who wrote the poem "The Road Not Taken"?
    A Emily Dickinson
    B Robert Frost
    C Langston Hughes
    D Walt Whitman