Dickinson seldom travelled, but she did visit Washington once. This poem is about her romantic ride with a gentleman to Washington Monument. The key is to find out the place she described in line 17 to 20, a very high building.
Because I could not stop for Death－1
He kindly stopped for me－
The Carriage held but just Ourselves－
And Immortality.
We slowly drove－He knew no haste 5
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility－
We passed the School, where Children strove 9
At Recess－in the Ring－
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain－
We passed the Setting Sun－
Or rather－He passed Us－13
The Dews drew quivering and chill－
For only Gossamer, my Gown－
My Tippet－only Tulle－
We paused before a House that seemed 17
A Swelling of the Ground－
The Roof was scarcely visible－
The Cornice－in the Ground－
Since then－'tis Centuries－and yet 21
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity－
He kindly stopped for me－
The Carriage held but just Ourselves－
And Immortality.
We slowly drove－He knew no haste 5
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility－
We passed the School, where Children strove 9
At Recess－in the Ring－
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain－
We passed the Setting Sun－
Or rather－He passed Us－13
The Dews drew quivering and chill－
For only Gossamer, my Gown－
My Tippet－only Tulle－
We paused before a House that seemed 17
A Swelling of the Ground－
The Roof was scarcely visible－
The Cornice－in the Ground－
Since then－'tis Centuries－and yet 21
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity－
(F.479/J.712)
[1] stop for Death:: to stop firmly the carriage (in line three).
[2] He:: a gentleman who helped Dickinson to stop the carriage.
[3] just Ourselves:: the two were undisturbed.
[4] immortality:: she wished the ride would last forever.
[5-8] We slowly drove, His Civility:: they had a casual ride.
[9-12] School, Fields:: they passed a school and some fields unidentified.
[13] He passes Us:: she felt the world was not moving.
[17-20] House, Swelling, Roof, Cornice:: a description of Washington Monument; its cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1848 and the monument officially opened in 1888. This poem was written around 1862.
[19] Roof was scarcely visible:: a very high building.
[20] Cornice in the Ground:: a low cornice.
[21, 22] Centuries, Day:: she missed the ride greatly.
[23] Horses' Heads:: the original design of the monument had horses, omitted due to lack of funding. The drawing with horses was printed in the tourist guide of Washington by Morrison (1852), a book in the Dickinson's family library.
[24] Eternity:: a hint on the answer, a monument for eternal fame.
[23-24] surmised, Eternity:: she realized that such good time would never come again, though she hoped.
WASHINGTON MONUMENT. . . . to erect at the seat of government to the memory of Washington, from voluntary contributions. . . . 50 feet square at the base, and 500 feet high, . . . This great work is rapidly rising, and has already been carried up nearly one hundred feet. ─ Morrison's Stranger's Guide to the City of Washington and its Vicinity (1852).
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| The original design has four horses. |