Browse for Manuscript Images by first line, date, recipient, or edition.
Browse alphabetically through more than 9,000 words in Dickinson’s poetry, as defined in the Emily Dickinson Lexicon, based in part on her dictionary, Webster's 1844 American Dictionary of the English Language.
Please sign in to add notes to this image
Going to Him! Happy letter!
Tell Him --
Tell Him the page I did'nt write --
Tell Him -- I only said the Syntax --
And left the Verb and the pronoun out --
Tell Him just how the fingers hurried --
Then -- how they waded -- slow -- slow --
And then you wished you had eyes in your pages --
So you could see what moved them so --
Tell Him -- it was'nt a Practised Writer --
You guessed -- from the way the sentence toiled --
You could hear the Boddice tug, behind you --
As if it held but the might of a child --
You almost pitied it -- you -- it worked so --
Tell Him -- no -- you may quibble there --
For it would split His Heart, to know it --
And then you and I, were silenter.
Tell Him -- Night finished -- before we finished --
And the Old Clock kept neighing "Day"!
And you -- got sleepy -- and begged to be ended --
What could it hinder so -- to say?
Tell Him -- just how she sealed you -- Cautious!
But -- if He ask where you are hid
Until tomorrow -- Happy letter!
Gesture Coquette -- and shake your Head!
Version 1
Going -- to -- Her!
Happy -- Letter! Tell Her --
Tell Her -- the page I never wrote!
Tell Her, I only said -- the Syntax --
And left the Verb and the Pronoun -- out!
Tell Her just how the fingers -- hurried --
Then -- how they -- stammered -- slow -- slow --
And then -- you wished you had eyes -- in your pages --
So you could see -- what moved -- them -- so --
Tell Her -- it was'nt a practised writer --
You guessed --
From the way the sentence -- toiled --
You could hear the Boddice -- tug -- behind you --
As if it held but the might of a child!
You almost pitied -- it -- you -- it worked so --
Tell Her -- No -- you may quibble -- there --
For it would split Her Heart -- to know it --
And then -- you and I -- were silenter!
Tell Her -- Day -- finished -- before we -- finished --
And the old Clock kept neighing -- "Day"!
And you -- got sleepy -- and begged to be ended --
What could -- it hinder so -- to say?
Tell Her -- just how she sealed -- you -- Cautious!
But -- if she ask "where you are hid" -- until the evening -- Ah!
Be bashful!
Gesture Coquette
And shake your Head!
Version II
Please sign in to edit this transcription
Please sign in to save works to your reading list