"Remember me"

By Emily Dickinson
[Analysis]
"Remember me" implored the Thief! [1]
Oh Hospitality! [2]
My Guest "Today in Paradise" [3]
I give thee guaranty. [4]
That Courtesy will fair remain [5]
When the Delight is Dust [6]
With which we cite this mightiest case [7]
Of compensated Trust. [8]
Of all we are allowed to hope [9]
But Affidavit stands [10]
That this was due where most we fear [11]
Be unexpected Friends. [12]
Poem 1180 [F1208]
""Remember me" implored the Thief!"
Analysis by David Preest
[Poem]
Line 1 and lines 3-4 of this poem are Emily's paraphrase of the exchange between the thief and Jesus as they were being crucified. 'And
the thief said unto Jesus, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into the kingdom." And Jesus said unto him, "Verily, Today thou shalt be
with me in Paradise." (Luke 23: 42-3). Line 2 is Emily's comment on Jesus' reply.
She continues in stanza 2 by saying that we now cite with delight the thief's 'compensated Trust' and that when we turn into 'Dust' at death,
Jesus' 'Courtesy fair' will remain for us as well. We can then hope for everything, but we at least have Jesus' pledge to the thief of Paradise,
even if most people there, she's afraid to say, turn out to 'be unexpected Friends.'
The variant 'some' for 'most' in line 12 reduces the number of unexpected inhabitants of Paradise. Line 11 becomes clearer if the phrase
'we fear' is put between commas.
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