Because I could not stop for Death ‑‑

Because I [could]1 not stop for Death --
He kindly stopped for me --
The carriage held but just ourselves --
and Immortality.

We slowly drove -- he knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labour, and my leisure too
For His Civility --

We passed the school, where children played,
[ At wrestling in a ring]2
We passed the fields of gazing grain,
We passed the setting sun.

We paused before a house that seemed
a swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible,
The cornice but a mound.

Since then 'tis centuries; but each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses' heads
Were toward eternity.

We passed the School, where Children
At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed Us –
The Dews drew quivering and chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –
My Tippet – only Tulle –

We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground –
The Roof was scarcely visible –
The Cornice – in the Ground –

by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) , no title, from Poems of Emily Dickinson, published 1890

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by John Clement Adams (1947-) , "Because I could not stop for Death", 1980-1, first performed 1981 [chorus and orchestra], from Harmonium, no. 2.
by Gary Bachlund , "Because I could not stop for death", 1990. [high voice and piano]
by Fania Chapiro , "Because I could not stop for death", 1988, from Three songs of death, no. 3.
by Aaron Copland (1900-1990) , "The chariot", 1949-50, published 1951 [mezzo-soprano, piano], from Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson, no. 12.
by Sergius Kagen (1909-1964) , "Because I would not stop for Death", published 1951. [medium voice, piano]

FRE French (Guy Laffaille)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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