Papa above — Henpecked

A husband whose babbling in church about his wife can form a series of verses, is called Rat by Dickinson.

Papa above! ¹
Regard a Mouse
O'erpowered by the Cat!
Reserve within thy kingdom
A "Mansion" for the Rat!

Snug in seraphic Cupboards ⁶
To nibble all the day
While unsuspecting Cycles
Wheel solemnly away!

(F.151/J.61)

[1] Papa:: a parish priest.
[2] mouse:: a coward, a henpecked husband.
[3] Cat:: a spiteful, backbiting woman, the coward's wife.
[4] kingdom:: the Catholic world.
[5] Mansion:: the dwelling place in Heaven; a church in earth. The husband escaped his wife by going to church often.
[6] seraphic Cupboards:: church pews; confession rooms.
[7] nibble:: to make trifling criticisms, to babble his wife.
[8] Cycles:: A series of poems or prose romances, collected round or relating to a central event or epoch of mythic history and forming a continuous narrative _{(OED 6)}.
[9] solemnly:: ceremoniously. Wheel:: to go by turning; to express one's complaints indirectly.

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)

For pity's sake, deliver me forever from the sight of a henpecked husband, a man who cowers and shrinks in the presence of his wife, as a mouse does in the presence of a cat. A lady near me, asks if there are any such. Yes, there are such, and my heart has ached sometimes, to see an authoritative woman exercising her skill over a little bit of a puny, insignificant man. ─ Proceedings of the National Women's Rights Convention (1854)