They put Us far apart —

They put Us far apart —
As separate as Sea
And Her unsown Peninsula —
We signified “These see” —

They took away our Eyes —
They thwarted Us with Guns —
“I see Thee” each respondedstraight
Through Telegraphic Signs —

With Dungeons — They devised —
But through their thickest skill —
And their opaquest Adamant —
Our Souls saw — just as well —

They summoned Us to die —
With sweet alacrity
We stood upon our stapled feet —
Condemned — but just — to see —

Permission to recant —
Permission to forget —
We turned our backs upon the Sun
For perjury of that —

Not Either — noticed Death —
Of Paradise — aware —
Each other’s Face — was all the Disc
Each other’s setting — saw —

Emily Dickinson

Polar Night

We were sent far away —
As separate as Sea
And Her wasted Peninsula —
We declared “These see” —

We were blind in the dark —
We were obstructed with Guns —
“I see You” each responded straight
Through Telegraphic Signs —

Our Souls saw — just as well —
With Dungeons — completely designed —
But through their cleverest skill —
And their opaquest Hardest stone —

We were summoned to die —
With sweet swiftness
We stood upon our settled feet —
Condemned — but just — to see —

Permission to deny —
Permission to forget —
We turned our backs upon the Sun
For that treason —

Not Either — noticed Death —
Aware of Paradise ——
Each other’s Face — was round
We saw each other’s setting —

One of Emily’s favorite subject: Sunset and Sunrise in Polar night.