Not in this World to see his face－1
Sounds long－until I read the place
Where this－is said to be
But just the Primer－to a life－
Unopened－rare－Upon the Shelf－
Clasped yet－to Him－and Me－
And yet－My Primer suits me so 7
I would not choose－a Book to know
Than that－be sweeter wise－
Might some one else－so learned－be－
And leave me－just my A－B－C－
Himself－could have the Skies－
Sounds long－until I read the place
Where this－is said to be
But just the Primer－to a life－
Unopened－rare－Upon the Shelf－
Clasped yet－to Him－and Me－
And yet－My Primer suits me so 7
I would not choose－a Book to know
Than that－be sweeter wise－
Might some one else－so learned－be－
And leave me－just my A－B－C－
Himself－could have the Skies－
(F.435/J.418)
[1] Not in this World, his face:: Adam's face.
[2] long, read:: a book written long time ago, Bible.
[2, 4] the place, Primer to a life:: Eden, where life begins.
[3] said to be:: Dickinson believed not the story of Eden.
[5] Upon the Shelf:: on the shelf, (a) on one side, out of the way, in a position or state of inactivity or uselessness; (b) of women: without prospects of marrying (OED n.1 1d, 1839). Unopened, rare:: Eden is closed by God.
[6] Clasped yet:: for Dickinson, the paradise Eden and Bible were closed. Him:: God in Bible; Dickinson's lover in marriage.
[7] My Primer:: the womb.
[8] not, Book to know:: she didn't want to learn marriage and birth from book.
[11] ABC:: the first principles, most elementary part (OED 3).
[12] the Skies:: the celestial regions; heaven; the heavenly power, the deity (OED 4). Himself could, Skies:: God could have the Heaven.
On the shelf, said of ladies when too old to get married. ─ A Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words (1868)
Eden and Bible were not Dickinson's paradise, but marrying and birth.