Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me; The Carriage held but just Ourselves And Immortality. We slowly drove, He knew no haste, And I had put away My labor, and my leisure too, For His Civility. We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess, in the Ring; We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain, We passed the Setting Sun. We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground; The Roof was scarcely visible, The Cornice but a Mound. Since then 'tis Centuries; but each Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity. Emily Dickinson's poetry is characterized by its succinct nature, unique use of punctuation and capitalization, and slant rhyme. Her works often explore themes such as death, immortality, nature, and the inner self. Dickinson's voice is distinct for its introspective depth and innovative style, which has placed her among the most important figures in American poetry.

Emily Dickinson's poem, "Because I could not stop for Death," employs the literary device of personification to cast death as a courteous suitor who takes the speaker on a carriage ride. The journey symbolizes the transition from life to afterlife. Death is portrayed as a gentle guide who stops for the speaker because she is too busy to pause herself. Throughout the poem, Dickinson reflects on the passage from life to death with a calm and observant demeanor. The carriage ride with Death and Immortality passes through familiar scenes of life, such as a schoolyard, fields, and ultimately leads to a grave, which is referred to as a "House" that seems like "A Swelling of the Ground." The final stanza projects the sense of an everlasting journey beyond this life, where the speaker transcends time, feeling that centuries are shorter than a day, and implies that they are heading "toward Eternity."

Extra: Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) was an American poet whose work is known for its unconventional structure and profound thematic exploration. Although she wrote nearly 1,800 poems, only a handful were published during her lifetime—often without her consent and frequently edited to fit conventional norms of the time. Today, Dickinson is acclaimed for her innovative use of form and syntax.

In her poetry, Dickinson made frequent use of slant rhymes (also known as half rhymes or near rhymes), where the sounds are similar but not exactly the same. For example, in this poem "me" and "Immortality" or "away" and "Civility" have similar but not identical vowel sounds or final consonants, drawing attention to the words and the ideas contained within them. Her punctuation—particularly her use of dashes—and capitalization of certain words for emphasis contribute to the distinct rhythm and tone of her poetry, often inviting multiple interpretations.

Dickinson's themes frequently challenge the prevailing norms of her time, asking profound questions about life, death, and existence. The poem "Because I could not stop for Death" illustrates some of these themes, offering a contemplative view of death that is neither fearful nor morbid but rather reflective and calm. Dickinson's portrayal of death as a journey with a courteous conductor also disrupts the more conventional understanding of death as something to be feared. Instead, she presents it as an inevitable, natural progression and an enduring conversation with the unknown.