"Three Weeks passed since I had seen Her --"

By Emily Dickinson
[Analysis]
Three Weeks passed since I had seen Her -- [1]
Some Disease had vext [2]
'Twas with Text and Village Singing [3]
I beheld Her next [4]
And a Company -- our pleasure [5]
To discourse alone -- [6]
Gracious now to me as any -- [7]
Gracious unto none -- [8]
Borne without dissent of Either [9]
To the Parish night -- [10]
Of the Separated Parties [11]
Which be out of sight? [12]
Poem 1061 [F992]
"Three weeks passed since I had seen her"
Analysis by David Preest
[Poem]
Emily had not seen a particular friend for three weeks as the friend had been ill. Their pleasure had been tte a tte conversations. Alas,
the next time they met was at the friend's funeral with its sermon and hymns and company of people. Neither the company nor Emily had
been able to express dissent at her removal to join the separated people of the invisible dead. The only question remaining is whether she is
equally gracious to all of them (as a saint in heaven) or gracious to none of them (as she is totally extinct).
This reading takes the question mark at the end of the poem to refer to lines 7-8.
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