Because I could not stop for Death

By Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 5

And I had put away

My labor, and my leisure too,

For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove

At recess, in the ring; 10

We passed the fields of gazing grain,

We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;

The dews grew quivering and chill,

For only gossamer* my gown, 15

My tippet* only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed

A swelling of the ground;

The roof was scarcely visible,

The cornice** but a mound. 20

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each

Feels shorter than the day

I first surmised the horses' heads

Were toward eternity.

* gossamer: something light or delicate

* cornice: decorative corner piece on a wall

* tippet: long coat

*tulle: sheer fabric

The speaker uses plural pronouns such as “ourselves” and “we” to

Because I could not stop for Death

By Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 5

And I had put away

My labor, and my leisure too,

For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove

At recess, in the ring; 10

We passed the fields of gazing grain,

We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;

The dews grew quivering and chill,

For only gossamer* my gown, 15

My tippet* only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed

A swelling of the ground;

The roof was scarcely visible,

The cornice** but a mound. 20

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each

Feels shorter than the day

I first surmised the horses' heads

Were toward eternity.

* gossamer: something light or delicate

* cornice: decorative corner piece on a wall

* tippet: long coat

*tulle: sheer fabric

The central, controlling imagery of the poem conveys the idea that

Because I could not stop for Death

By Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 5

And I had put away

My labor, and my leisure too,

For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove

At recess, in the ring; 10

We passed the fields of gazing grain,

We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;

The dews grew quivering and chill,

For only gossamer* my gown, 15

My tippet* only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed

A swelling of the ground;

The roof was scarcely visible,

The cornice** but a mound. 20

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each

Feels shorter than the day

I first surmised the horses' heads

Were toward eternity.

* gossamer: something light or delicate

* cornice: decorative corner piece on a wall

* tippet: long coat

*tulle: sheer fabric

The speaker can best be described as a woman who is

Because I could not stop for Death

By Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 5

And I had put away

My labor, and my leisure too,

For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove

At recess, in the ring; 10

We passed the fields of gazing grain,

We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;

The dews grew quivering and chill,

For only gossamer* my gown, 15

My tippet* only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed

A swelling of the ground;

The roof was scarcely visible,

The cornice** but a mound. 20

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each

Feels shorter than the day

I first surmised the horses' heads

Were toward eternity.

* gossamer: something light or delicate

* cornice: decorative corner piece on a wall

* tippet: long coat

*tulle: sheer fabric

The speaker’s attitude is characterized as

17. Lines 11-12 contain the following:

Because I could not stop for Death

By Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 5

And I had put away

My labor, and my leisure too,

For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove

At recess, in the ring; 10

We passed the fields of gazing grain,

We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;

The dews grew quivering and chill,

For only gossamer* my gown, 15

My tippet* only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed

A swelling of the ground;

The roof was scarcely visible,

The cornice** but a mound. 20

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each

Feels shorter than the day

I first surmised the horses' heads

Were toward eternity.

* gossamer: something light or delicate

* cornice: decorative corner piece on a wall

* tippet: long coat

*tulle: sheer fabric

i. anaphora

ii. simile

iii. alliteration

Because I could not stop for Death

By Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 5

And I had put away

My labor, and my leisure too,

For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove

At recess, in the ring; 10

We passed the fields of gazing grain,

We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;

The dews grew quivering and chill,

For only gossamer* my gown, 15

My tippet* only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed

A swelling of the ground;

The roof was scarcely visible,

The cornice** but a mound. 20

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each

Feels shorter than the day

I first surmised the horses' heads

Were toward eternity.

* gossamer: something light or delicate

* cornice: decorative corner piece on a wall

* tippet: long coat

*tulle: sheer fabric

The third stanza provides

Because I could not stop for Death

By Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 5

And I had put away

My labor, and my leisure too,

For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove

At recess, in the ring; 10

We passed the fields of gazing grain,

We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;

The dews grew quivering and chill,

For only gossamer* my gown, 15

My tippet* only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed

A swelling of the ground;

The roof was scarcely visible,

The cornice** but a mound. 20

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each

Feels shorter than the day

I first surmised the horses' heads

Were toward eternity.

* gossamer: something light or delicate

* cornice: decorative corner piece on a wall

* tippet: long coat

*tulle: sheer fabric

Lines 1-2 contain the following

i. Personification

ii. Metaphor

iii. Enjambment

Because I could not stop for Death

By Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 5

And I had put away

My labor, and my leisure too,

For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove

At recess, in the ring; 10

We passed the fields of gazing grain,

We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;

The dews grew quivering and chill,

For only gossamer* my gown, 15

My tippet* only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed

A swelling of the ground;

The roof was scarcely visible,

The cornice** but a mound. 20

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each

Feels shorter than the day

I first surmised the horses' heads

Were toward eternity.

* gossamer: something light or delicate

* cornice: decorative corner piece on a wall

* tippet: long coat

*tulle: sheer fabric

The author establishes a tone shift in stanza 4 through

Because I could not stop for Death

By Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 5

And I had put away

My labor, and my leisure too,

For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove

At recess, in the ring; 10

We passed the fields of gazing grain,

We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;

The dews grew quivering and chill,

For only gossamer* my gown, 15

My tippet* only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed

A swelling of the ground;

The roof was scarcely visible,

The cornice** but a mound. 20

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each

Feels shorter than the day

I first surmised the horses' heads

Were toward eternity.

* gossamer: something light or delicate

* cornice: decorative corner piece on a wall

* tippet: long coat

*tulle: sheer fabric

The tone of the poem could best be described as

Because I could not stop for Death

By Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 5

And I had put away

My labor, and my leisure too,

For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove

At recess, in the ring; 10

We passed the fields of gazing grain,

We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;

The dews grew quivering and chill,

For only gossamer* my gown, 15

My tippet* only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed

A swelling of the ground;

The roof was scarcely visible,

The cornice** but a mound. 20

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each

Feels shorter than the day

I first surmised the horses' heads

Were toward eternity.

* gossamer: something light or delicate

* cornice: decorative corner piece on a wall

* tippet: long coat

*tulle: sheer fabric

The central idea of the poem is best stated as

Directions: Read and annotate the poem thoroughly. Answer the MC questions that follow. Remember to think about Speaker, Subject, Tone, and Central Idea before answering the MC questions. Use QUAN!!

“To the Desert” by Benjamin Alire Saenz

I came to you one rainless August night.

You taught me how to live without the rain.

You are thirst and thirst is all I know.

You are sand, wind, sun, and burning sky,

The hottest blue. You blow a breeze and brand 5

Your breath into my mouth. You reach—then bend

Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.

You wrap your name tight around my ribs

And keep me warm. I was born for you.

Above, below, by you, by you surrounded. 10

I wake to you at dawn. Never break your

Knot. Reach, rise, blow, Sálvame, mi dios,

Trágame, mi tierra. Salva, traga, Break me,

I am bread. I will be the water for your thirst.

Identify Literary and Rhetorical Devices:

Line 14 contains the following Figurative Language:

Lines 8-9 contains the following figurative Language

“To the Desert” by Benjamin Alire Saenz

I came to you one rainless August night.

You taught me how to live without the rain.

You are thirst and thirst is all I know.

You are sand, wind, sun, and burning sky,

The hottest blue. You blow a breeze and brand 5

Your breath into my mouth. You reach—then bend

Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.

You wrap your name tight around my ribs

And keep me warm. I was born for you.

Above, below, by you, by you surrounded. 10

I wake to you at dawn. Never break your

Knot. Reach, rise, blow, Sálvame, mi dios,

Trágame, mi tierra. Salva, traga, Break me,

I am bread. I will be the water for your thirst.

“To the Desert” by Benjamin Alire Saenz

I came to you one rainless August night.

You taught me how to live without the rain.

You are thirst and thirst is all I know.

You are sand, wind, sun, and burning sky,

The hottest blue. You blow a breeze and brand 5

Your breath into my mouth. You reach—then bend

Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.

You wrap your name tight around my ribs

And keep me warm. I was born for you.

Above, below, by you, by you surrounded. 10

I wake to you at dawn. Never break your

Knot. Reach, rise, blow, Sálvame, mi dios,

Trágame, mi tierra. Salva, traga, Break me,

I am bread. I will be the water for your thirst.

The author’s decision to use foreign words and phrases is an example of

“To the Desert” by Benjamin Alire Saenz

I came to you one rainless August night.

You taught me how to live without the rain.

You are thirst and thirst is all I know.

You are sand, wind, sun, and burning sky,

The hottest blue. You blow a breeze and brand 5

Your breath into my mouth. You reach—then bend

Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.

You wrap your name tight around my ribs

And keep me warm. I was born for you.

Above, below, by you, by you surrounded. 10

I wake to you at dawn. Never break your

Knot. Reach, rise, blow, Sálvame, mi dios,

Trágame, mi tierra. Salva, traga, Break me,

I am bread. I will be the water for your thirst.

Point of View:

Which of the following best describes the speaker’s present situation