Sweet — safe — Houses —

Sweet — safe — Houses —
Glad — gay — Houses —
Sealed so stately tight —
Lids of Steel — on Lids of Marble —
Locking Bare feet out —

Brooks of Plush — in Banks of Satin
Not so softly fall
As the laughter — and the whisper —
From their People Pearl —

No Bald Death — affront their Parlors —
No Bold Sickness come
To deface their Stately Treasures —
Anguish — and the Tomb —

Hum by — in Muffled Coaches —
Lest they — wonder Why —
Any — for the Press of Smiling —
Interrupt — to die —

Emily Dickinson

Hearse

Sweet and safe Houses —
Glad and gay Houses —
Sealed so completely tight —
Lids of Steel on Lids of Marble —
To block out bare feet —

Streams of Plush in Banks of Satin
Do not fall so softly
As the laughter and the whisper
From their Pearly People—

No Bald Death insult their Parlors —
No Bold Sickness come
To deface their Splendid Treasures
With pain—the Funeral Procession

Hum by in Muffled Coaches —
Lest they wonder the Reason —
Anything interrupt them to pass away
For the Press of Smiling —