Затвор ли мной дверей,
чтоб лик мольбы моей,
и впрямь отвергнут не был ей?
[David Preest:
This poem is the whole of another note (L239)
sent by Emily to Sue, and like the questions in poem 213
expects the answer ‘No.’ No, Emily could not shut the door
on Sue, if only for fear that her own beseeching face be
finally rejected by Sue. But for what reason does Emily
need to say that she could not shut the door on Sue?
It is hardly likely that Sue would have accused Emily
of shutting the door on her, but more possible that Sue,
busy with the new baby, has not replied to Emily’s notes.
Some confirmation of this can be found in a letter which
Sue sent to Emily in late October 1861. She says, ‘I have
intended to write you Emily to day but the quiet has not
been mine _ I should send you this, lest I should seem
to have turned away from a kiss _ If you have suffered
this past Summer I am sorry. I Emily bear a sorrow that
I never uncover _ If a nightingale sings with her breast
against a thorn, why not we? When I can, I shall write
(Sewall, p. 203).’]
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Could I -- then -- shut the door by Emily Dickinson
Could I -- then -- shut the door --
Lest my beseeching face --
at last -- Rejected -- be -- of Her?