'Tis so appalling—it exhilarates

Emily Dickinson 1830 (Amherst) – 1886 (Amherst)



'Tis so appalling—it exhilarates—
So over Horror, it half Captivates—
The Soul stares after it, secure—
A Sepulchre, fears frost, no more—

To scan a Ghost, is faint—
But grappling, conquers it—
How easy, Torment, now—
Suspense kept sawing so—

The Truth, is Bald, and Cold—
But that will hold—
If any are not sure—
We show them—prayer—
But we, who know,
Stop hoping, now—

Looking at Death, is Dying—
Just let go the Breath—
And not the pillow at your Cheek
So Slumbereth—

Others, Can wrestle—
Yours, is done—
And so of Woe, bleak dreaded—come,
It sets the Fright at liberty—
And Terror's free—
Gay, Ghastly, Holiday!

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 23, 2023

33 sec read
150

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABX XXCA DDBXXC XEXE XXXFFX
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 646
Words 110
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 6, 4, 6

Emily Dickinson

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet. more…

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