I read my sentence steadily,
Reviewed it with my eyes,
To see that I made no mistake
In its extremest clause, --
The date, and manner of the shame;
And then the pious form
That "God have mercy" on the soul
The jury voted him.
I made my soul familiar
With her extremity,
That at the last it should not be
A novel agony,
But she and Death, acquainted,
Meet tranquilly as friends,
Salute and pass without a hint --
And there the matter ends.
I Read My Sentence Steadily,
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson
Suggested Poems
Explore a curated selection of verses that share themes, styles, and emotional resonance with the poem you've just read.