I'm wife, I've finished that — Red Underwing

Wife has a rare usage as a very large moth called red underwing. This poem tells its life cycle from caterpillar to moth, from earth to sky. Dickinson was never married, but was free in mind.

I'm "wife"－I've finished that－¹
That other state－
I'm Czar－I'm "Woman" now－
It's safer so－

How odd the Girl's life looks ⁵
Behind this soft Eclipse－
I think that Earth feels so
To folks in Heaven－now－

This being comfort－then ⁹
That other kind－was pain－
But why compare?
I'm "Wife"! Stop there!

(F.225/J.199)

[1] wife:: collectors' name for a moth, Catocala nupta, also called Willow Red Underwing _{(OED 4)}.
[2] other state:: caterpillar.
[3] Czar:: red underwing is one of the largest species in the world of moth. Woman:: a female moth.
[4] safer:: comparing to the state of moth and caterpillar.
[5, 6] Girl, soft Eclipse:: a caterpillar in her cocoon.
[7] Earth:: creatures on the ground.
[8] folks in Heaven:: creatures that fly.
[9] This:: this last state of moth.
[10] other kind:: other form of life, caterpillar on the ground.
[12] Stop there:: stop its life cycle, egg, caterpillar, moth.

Nevertheless there are many species of this numerous tribe which come abroad boldly in the daytime, and these are frequently adorned with bright and even metallic colours: thus the Red Underwing (Catocala Nupta), one of the largest species, which measures from three inches to three inches and a half across the wings, has the hinder wings of a fine red colour, with a band across the middle, and the hinder margin black;——Elements of Entomology (1857)