The only Ghost I ever saw 1
Was dressed in Mechlin－so－
He wore no sandal on his foot－
And stepped like flakes of snow－
His Gait－was soundless, like the Bird－5
But rapid－like the Roe－
His fashions, quaint, Mosaic－
Or haply, Mistletoe－
His conversation－seldom－9
His laughter, like the Breeze－
That dies away in Dimples
Among the pensive Trees－
Our interview－was transient－13
Of me, himself was shy－
And God forbid I look behind－
Since that appalling Day!
Was dressed in Mechlin－so－
He wore no sandal on his foot－
And stepped like flakes of snow－
His Gait－was soundless, like the Bird－5
But rapid－like the Roe－
His fashions, quaint, Mosaic－
Or haply, Mistletoe－
His conversation－seldom－9
His laughter, like the Breeze－
That dies away in Dimples
Among the pensive Trees－
Our interview－was transient－13
Of me, himself was shy－
And God forbid I look behind－
Since that appalling Day!
(F.331/J.274)
[1] Ghost:: a hint on ghost moth.
[2] Mechlin:: Mechlin lace, the wings of the moth.
[3, 4] flakes of snow:: fling like snow flakes.
[7, 8] quaint, Mistletoe:: its outlook.
[9] conversation seldom:: it flies alone.
[10] laughter, Breeze:: without sound.
[13–16] interview, shy, appalling:: Dickinson met a ghost moth that shied away from her.
Why is the ghost-moth so called? Because of its singular flight in the twilight hour, haunting, as it were, one particular spot—wherefore the fancy of some collector probably considered it a spectre-like action. ─ Knowledge for the People (1831)
Humuli (Ghost Moth): wings yellow, striated with orange; those of the male with white. It inhabits Europe. The Caterpillar feeds on the roots of the hop and burdock: it is of a cream colour, and somewhat glossy; the head is nut-brown; on the back, close behind the head, is a brown, shining mark, of a hard, callous substance. It changes, in May, to a dark brown pupa, and the Moth appears in June. It flies in the dusk of the evening, hovering up and down, in one particular spot, for a long time. It is often seen in church-yards; whence its English name. ─ The Young Lady's Book (1829)
The Ghost Moth, Phalaena Humuli, feeds upon the roots, and the mottled Orange Moth upon the stalks. ─ A Botanical Arrangement of All the Vegetables Naturally Growing in Great Britain (1776)