To love thee Year by Year－1
May less appear
Than sacrifice, and cease－
However, dear,
Forever might be short, I thought to show－
And so I pieced it, with a flower, now.
May less appear
Than sacrifice, and cease－
However, dear,
Forever might be short, I thought to show－
And so I pieced it, with a flower, now.
(F.618/J.434)
[1, 2] love, Year, less:: a forever love may appear less than a sacrificed love.
[3, 4] sacrifice, cease, However:: what Dickinson had done. She sacrificed and ceased herself to show her stronger love.
[5] short:: near at hand, which Dickinson tried to play by word in next line.
[6] flower:: an ornament of writing. piece:: to mend by adding a piece or pieces. it:: the word Forever. with a flower:: a) the word flower can spell forever, if we cut the w to vv; b) with an ornament of writing, a beautiful poem, Dickinson mended her love. flower, now:: the word before now is flower, so forever is pieced immediately by flower.