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Appendix: First Lines Of Selected Trauma Poems Of Emily Dickinson

A great Hope fell

A narrow Fellow in the Grass

A Secret told –

Alone and in a Circumstance

At least — to pray — is left — is left –

Denial — is the only fact

Elysium is as far as to

Forever at His side to walk –

From Blank to Blank –

He put the Belt around my life –

He touched me, so I live to know

He was my host — he was my guest

Her face was in a bed of hair

How soft this Prison is

I am afraid to own a Body –

I can wade grief –

I could suffice for Him, I knew –

I had some things that I called mine –

I heard a Fly buzz — when I died –

I live with Him — I see His face –

I measure every Grief I meet

I never hear the word “escape”

I never lost as much but twice –

I read my sentence — steadily –

I reason, Earth is short –

I shall know why — when Time is over –

I shall not murmur if at last

I should not dare to be so sad

I tie my Hat — I crease my Shawl –

I took my Power in my Hand –

I’m ceded — I’ve stopped being Theirs –

I’m Wife — I’ve finished that –

In Winter in my Room

It ceased to hurt me, though so slow

It might be lonelier

It would never be Common — more — I said –

Let Us play Yesterday –

My Worthiness is all my Doubt –

No Rack can torture me –

Not with a Club, the Heart is broken

Of Course — I prayed — / And did God care?

One Crucifixion is recorded — only –

One need not be a Chamber — to be Haunted –

Rearrange a “Wife’s” affection!

Remembrance has a Rear and Front

Savior! I’ve no one else to tell –

She rose to His Requirement — dropt

Shame is the shawl of Pink

Softened by Time’s consummate plush

Sweet is the swamp with its secrets

That after Horror — that ’twas us –

The Day that I was crowned

The first Day’s Night had come –

The reticent volcano keeps

The Skies can’t keep their secret!

The Soul has Bandaged moments –

There comes an hour when begging stops

There is a pain — so utter –

They say that “Time assuages”

This dirty — little — Heart

’Tis not that Dying hurts us so –

Title divine — is mine!

To fight aloud is very brave

’Twas here my summer paused

’Twas like a Maelstrom, with a notch

We grow accustomed to the Dark

While we were fearing it, it came –

You left me — Sire — two Legacies –