The Poems of Emily Dickinson, Variorum Edition, Franklin, 1998
Emily Dickinson Archive
Because that you are going And never coming back - And I, however absolute May overlook your track, Because that Death is finalHowever first it be This instant be suspended Above MortalitySignificance that each has lived The other to detectDiscovery not God himself Could now annihilate - Eternity, Presump - tionPresumptionThe instant I perceive That you, who were ExistenceYourself forgot to live -The "Life that is" will then have been A Thing I never knew As ParadisefictitoiusfictitiousUntil the Realm of you -The "Life that is to be" to me A Residence too plain Unless in my Redeemer's face I recognize your own - Of Immortality who doubtsHe may exchange with me Curtailed by your obscuring face Of Everything but he Of Heaven and Hell I also yieldThe Right to reprehendTo whoso would commute this Face For his less priceless Friend. If "God is Love" as he admits We think that he must be Because he is a "jealous God"He tells us certainlyIf "All is possible with" him As he besides concedes He will refund us finally Our confiscated Gods -