The Bible is an antique Volume－1
Written by faded men
At the suggestion of Holy Spectres－
Subjects－Bethlehem－
Eden－the ancient Homestead－5
Satan－the Brigadier－
Judas－the Great Defaulter－
David－the Troubador－
Sin－a distinguished Precipice 9
Others must resist－
Boys that "believe" are very lonesome－
Other Boys are "lost"－
Had but the Tale a warbling Teller－13
All the Boys would come－
Orpheus' Sermon captivated－
It did not condemn－
Written by faded men
At the suggestion of Holy Spectres－
Subjects－Bethlehem－
Eden－the ancient Homestead－5
Satan－the Brigadier－
Judas－the Great Defaulter－
David－the Troubador－
Sin－a distinguished Precipice 9
Others must resist－
Boys that "believe" are very lonesome－
Other Boys are "lost"－
Had but the Tale a warbling Teller－13
All the Boys would come－
Orpheus' Sermon captivated－
It did not condemn－
(F.1577/J.1545)
[1] antique:: old-fashioned.
[2] faded:: withered, decayed.
[3] Holy:: extremely. Spectres:: people with terrifying nature.
[4] Bethlehem:: the Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem, used as an asylum for the mentally deranged persons; a lunatic asylum, a madhouse (OED 1663).
[9] distinguished:: being identified by a physician. Precipice:: a perilous situation of the mental illness.
[10] Others must resist:: people must resist this mad story to prove they are mentally healthy.
[11] Boys:: unmatured fellows. Boys that "believe":: those who believe the book (are mad). lonesome:: as being confined in the madhouse.
[12] lost:: those who don't believe are called "lost sheep" in the book.
[13] a warbling Teller:: a better person to expound the book, like Orpheus.
[15] Orpheus:: in Greek mythology, his enchanting music can captivate beasts, trees, and rocks.
Dickinson nicknamed this poem "Sanctuary Privileges." It's mad people's right to do whatever they like in a protected place. She owned the right to write mad poems.