Question

what the poem of emily dickinson means

i cannot live with you

Answer 1

The poem 'I cannot live with you' by Emily Dickinson is one of Dickinson's most famous poems. The poem describes Emily's cynical approach to love. The poem begins with Emily refusing to live with her lover. During the 18th century, it was uncommon for people of the opposite sex to live together except after marriage. It can be presumed that Emily is refusing a marriage proposal from her lover because she thinks it will give her a life that she thinks is not worth living. She sees her life "behind the shelf" like a "porcelain" or a "cup" that is broken and kept out of the display. She says that only the Sexton (the church officer) has the key to her life. (She probably considers her dead already.) Then, the poem takes a turn when Emily states that if they were to get married, one has to see the other die and she was not prepared to see her lover die as that would fill her with overwhelming sadness and prompt her to take her own life and she does not want to do that. In the stanzas that follow, she states that she would probably not rise during the final resurrection as she had a hard time accepting the religion while she was living. She wanted to believe but she could never get herself to believe in it. Even if she were to rise, she would not be able to look at the bright, shining face of Jesus because her lover's face would distract her. She paints the picture of her lover going to heaven and she, herself being thrown in hell for her lack of belief. In the end, she wants to meet him but "with just the door ajar". In other words, they should meet only through distance just like we meet God through prayer. She ends the poem by stating that their despair is white instead of black and that they will overcome it.