Heart, we will forget him, You and I, tonight! You must forget the warmth he gave, I will forget the light.
Emily DickinsonRead
The bustle in a house The morning after death Is solemnest of industries Enacted upon earth,-- The sweeping up the heart, And putting love away We shall not want to use again Until eternity
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the somber activities that follow a death, highlighting the emotional weight of loss.
Emily Dickinson's quote poignantly captures the atmosphere of a household mourning a loved one. The rituals that take place the morning after death represent not only the physical act of cleaning but also the profound emotional labor of sorting through memories and feelings of love that may not be used again until eternity. It underscores how death transforms love and space, creating a lasting impact on those left behind.
Themes
DeathLossLoveMourningMemoryGrief
In practice
Example use cases
During a eulogy, this quote can be shared to encapsulate the atmosphere of loss.
More from Emily Dickinson
All quotes →I held a jewel in my fingers And went to sleep. The day was warm, and winds were prosy; I said: "'T will keep." I woke and chid my honest fingers,— The gem was gone; And now an amethyst remembrance Is all I own.
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I'll tell you how the sun rose, a ribbon at a time. The steeples swam in amethyst, The news like squirrels ran. The hills untied their bonnets, The bobolinks begun. Then I said softly to myself, "That must have been the sun!
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This is the Hour of Lead- Remembered, if outlived, As freezing persons, recollect the Snow- First-Chill-then Stupor- then the letting go---
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Luck is not chance, it's toil; fortune's expensive smile is earned.
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