Midsummer, was it, when They died —

Midsummer, was it, when They died —
A full, and perfect time —
The Summer closed upon itself
In Consummated Bloom —

The Corn, her furthest kernel filled
Before the coming Flail —
When These — leaned unto Perfectness —
Through Haze of Burial —

Emily Dickinson

Harvest is described in her metaphorical terms of Death: “died” and “Burial” are compared to “ripened” and ”perfectness” respectively.

When the Wheats ripened, Midsummer was
A full and perfect time —
The Summer was leaving
In final and full Bloom —

The Wheat filled her furthest kernel
Before the threshing Flail —
When wheats leaned unto Perfectness
Through Haze of Burial —