# SEARCHING  for Emily Dickinson

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-emily-dickinson/60835>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 4, 2001, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-emily-dickinson/60835 "2001-04-04T22:09:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Delila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Delila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delila)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-emily-dickinson/60835/1 "2001-04-04T22:09:19Z")

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I’m frantically searching for the text to a poem believed to be written by Emily Dickinson. It is entitled CHARTERED or CHARTER. It is for a dying friend.  
Your time is appreicated.

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-emily-dickinson/60835/2 "2001-04-04T22:22:54Z")

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I can’t find a poem of that title, and I can find only one poem by her that even contains the word “charter”

> [@](#):
>
> Part Three: Love
> 
> I  
> MINE by the right of the white election!  
> Mine by the royal seal!  
> Mine by the sign in the scarlet prison  
> Bars cannot conceal!
> 
> Mine, here in vision and in veto! 5  
> Mine, by the grave’s repeal  
> Titled, confirmed,—delirious charter!  
> Mine, while the ages steal!

[http://www.bartleby.com/113/3001.html](http://www.bartleby.com/113/3001.html)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-emily-dickinson/60835/3 "2001-04-04T22:32:41Z")

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Posted too soon. I found two more.

> [@](#):
>
> 570
> 
> I could die – to know –  
> 'Tis a trifling knowledge –  
> News-Boys salute the Door –  
> Carts – joggle by –  
> Morning’s bold face – stares in the window –  
> Were but mine – the Charter of the least Fly –
> 
> Houses hunch the House  
> With their Brick Shoulders –  
> Coals – from a Rolling Load – rattle – how – near –  
> To the very Square – His foot is passing –  
> Possibly, this moment –  
> While I – dream – Here –

and

> [@](#):
>
> 1283
> 
> Could Hope inspect her Basis  
> Her Craft were done –  
> Has a fictitious Charter  
> Or it has none –
> 
> Balked in the vastest instance  
> But to renew –  
> Felled by but one assassin –  
> Prosperity –

[http://members.aol.com/GivenRandy/r\_emily.htm](http://members.aol.com/GivenRandy/r_emily.htm)

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**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-emily-dickinson/60835/4 "2001-04-05T13:18:36Z")

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A lot of her poems are untitled, right? So, maybe you saw a poem of hers that had been supplied a title–maybe charter wasn’t even in the poem?

Here’s one ED poem about dying (IJLQED):

The dying need but little, dear,–  
A glass of water’s all,  
A flower’s unobtrusive face  
To punctuate the wall.

A fan, perhaps, a friend’s regret,  
And certainly that one  
No color in the rainbow  
Perceives when you are gone.