'I cannot live with You'

by Emily Dickinson

I cannot live with You -

It would be Life -

And Life is over there -

Behind the Shelf

The Sexton keeps the Key to -

Putting up

Our Life – His porcelain -

Like a Cup -

Discarded of the Housewife -

Quaint – or Broke -

A newer Sevres pleases -

Old Ones crack -

I could not die- with You -

For One must wait

To shut the Other’s Gaze down -

You – could not -

And I – Could I stand by

And see You – freeze -

Without my Right of Frost -

Death’s privilege?

Nor could I rise – with You -

Because Your Face

Would put out Jesus’ -

That New Grace

Glow plain – and foreign

On my homesick Eye -

Except that You than He

Shone closer by -

They’d judge Us – How -

For You – served Heaven – You know,

Or sought to -

I could not -

Because You saturated Sight -

And I had not more Eyes

For sordid excellence

As Paradise

And were You lost, I would be -

Though My Name

Rang loudest

On the Heavenly fame -

And were You – saved -

And I – condemned to be

Where You were not -

That self – were Hell to Me -

So We must meet apart -

You there – I – here -

With just the Door ajar

That Oceans are – and Prayer -

And that White Sustenance -

Despair -