Emily Dickinson
Dickinson’s letter-poem (approximately: see facsimile here), written in pencil in the 1880s
Morning
might come
by Accident,
Sister —
Night comes
by Event —
To believe the
final line of
the Card would
foreclose Faith —
Faith is Doubt.
Sister —
Show me
Eternity, and
I will show
you Memory —
Both in one
package lain
And lifted
back again.
Be Sue, while
I am Emily.
Be next, what
you have ever
been, Infinity —
published in 1924 by Martha Dickinson Bianchi (Susan’s daughter) as “a pencilled message”
Morning might come by accident, Sister,
Night comes by event —
To believe the final line of the card
Would foreclose Faith,
Faith is doubt, Sister.
Show me Eternity, and
I will show you memory —
Both in one package lain
And lifted back again.
Be Sue while I am Emily,
Be next what you have ever been —
Infinity.
published in 1958 by Thomas Johnson and Theodora Ward as “Letter 912”
Morning might come by Accident — Sister —
Night comes by Event —
To believe the final line of the Card would foreclose Faith —
Faith is Doubt.
Sister —
Show me Eternity, and I will show you Memory —
Both in one package lain
And lifted back again —
Be Sue — while I am Emily —
Be next — what you have ever been — Infinity —
Dickinson's letter-poem as published in Open Me Carefully (1998), ed. Ellen Louise Hart and Martha Nell Smith
Morning
might come
by Accident —
Sister —
Night comes
by Event —
To believe the
final line of
the Card would
foreclose Faith —
Faith is Doubt.
Sister —
Show me
Eternity — and
I will show
you Memory —
Both in one
package lain
And lifted
back again —
Be Sue — while
I am Emily —
Be next — what
you have ever
been — Infinity —