Because I Could Not Stop for Death 4-Part - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.1308012

Words by Emily Dickinson
Music by Richard deCosta

Because I could 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 labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –

We passed the School, where Children strove
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 –

Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity –

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In the reclusive chambers of Emily Dickinson's 19th-century Massachusetts home, the haunting poem, 'Because I Could Not Stop for Death,' was conceived. Living much of her life in isolation, Dickinson's thoughts often ventured into the shadowlands of existence. This poem, published posthumously in 1890, offers a chilling reflection of her contemplation. The Grim Reaper, a timeless symbol, is portrayed as a carriage driver, guiding the reader through a somber journey that mirrors the ephemeral nature of life. Passing scenes of childhood innocence, maturity's labor, and the twilight of existence, it culminates in the cold embrace of the grave. Her words, etched in a gothic darkness, resonate with the uncertainties and fears of her time, transcending to speak to the eternal human condition.