Eternity Quote by Emily Dickinson
““If you were coming in the Fall, I'd brush the Summer by With half a smile and half a spurn, As Housewives do a Fly. If I could see you in a year, I'd wind the months in balls — And put them each in separate Drawers, For fear the numbers fuse — If only Centuries, delayed, I'd count them on my Hand, Subtracting, till my fingers dropped Into Van Diemen's land. If certain, when this life was out, That yours and mine should be, I ’d toss it yonder like a rind, And taste eternity. But, now, uncertain of the length Of this, that is between, It goads me, like the Goblin Bee, That will not state — its sting.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: Unpublished manuscript, 1860s
The speaker imagines compressing time to keep a loved one close, fearing separation and the loss of moments.
In simple terms: Wants to hold onto love by shrinking time.
Key Takeaway
Cherish moments now.
Themes
love
time
longing
Mood
melancholic
hopeful
Type
poetic
romantic
When to use this quote
- romantic longing
- creative writing
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
temporal compression
mortality
desire
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you cope with uncertainty in relationships?
- What would you do to make time feel longer?
A Different Perspective
Time cannot be truly controlled; longing persists.
