1863 Summary

In Poem 632 Emily makes the point that it is worse to lose one's faith than to lose a large amount of land or money. Land and money can be replaced, Emily writes, but once faith is gone it is lost for good. Once a belief is lost, it can never be recaptured. This loss of faith turns the being into something of a beggar.

Poem 547 is a poem that addresses the reality of death. In it Emily writes of her knowledge that there has been a death in the house across the street from hers. She notes the numb look of the house and the bustle of visiting neighbors. The doctor has left and the minister has come to take charge of the situation. A funeral director has also arrived and Emily knows there will soon be a funeral procession. After all, she writes, this...