F764.1863.My Life had stood — a Loaded Gun —
ED’s alternate words in (parentheses), Franklin’s spelling corrections in <angle brackets>, LB’s comments in [brackets]
My Life had stood — a Loaded Gun —
In Corners — till a Day
The Owner passed — identified —
And carried Me away —
[In ‘My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun’ (F764, late 1863), ED was a “Loaded Gun” who “stood in Corners” waiting “till a Day” when her “Owner passed – identified – and carried Me away”.]
And now We roam in (the) Sovreign <Sovereign> Woods —
And now We hunt the Doe —
And every time I speak for Him —
The Mountains straight reply —
[In ED’s incredible imagination, she and her “Owner”, Charles Wadsworth, roam the world, making Mountains echo each time he pulls her trigger].
And do I smile, such cordial light
Opon <Upon> the Valley glow —
It is as [if] a Vesuvian face
Had let its pleasure through —
[And does she smile each time he pulls her trigger? You bet! Her Vesuvian face lights with pleasure that makes her “Valley glow”.]
And when at Night — Our good Day done —
I guard My Master’s Head —
‘Tis better than the Eider-Duck’s
Deep (low) Pillow — to have shared —
[And then at night, “Our” gunshots “done”, I guard “My Master’s Head / ‘Tis better than” sharing a “Deep” eider-down pillow.]
To foe of His — I’m deadly foe —
None stir (harm) the second time —
On whom I lay a Yellow Eye —
Or an emphatic Thumb —
[To “His” foes – “I’m deadly foe –”. When I fire my poetic minie-balls, “None stir a second time –”.]
Though I than He — may longer live
He longer must — than I —
For I have but the power to kill,
Without — the power (art) to die —
[“He” may die before I do, but he must enter Heaven. My poems have power to kill on Earth, but, unless “He” intercedes, they have no power for resurrection into Heaven where we agreed to meet and marry.]
Talk about a capitalized “Swoon”!! (F194, 1861):
“Title divine, is mine.
The Wife without the Sign –
Acute Degree conferred on me –
Empress of Calvary –
Royal, all but the Crown –
Betrothed, without the Swoon
God gives us Women –”