Me prove it now — Whoever (Whatever) doubt
Me stop to prove it — now —
Make haste (Come near) — the Scruple! Death be scant
For Opportunity —
The River reaches to my feet —
As yet — My Heart be dry —
Oh Lover — Life could not convince —
Might Death — enable Thee —
The River reaches to My Breast —
Still — still — My Hands above
Proclaim with their remaining might —
Dost recognize the Love?
The River reaches to my Mouth —
Remember — when the Sea
Swept by my searching eyes — the last —
Themselves were quick — with Thee!
Franklin estimates ED copied this poem into Fascicle 31 about the second half of 1863. When she composed it is unknown. In Stanza 1, ED suggested two alternate words/phrases, both in parentheses above. The “it” in Lines 1 & 2 is an orphan, no antecedent:
Stanza 1
My take: the “Oh Lover” in Line 7 suggests Line 1’s “Me prove it now” means “Me prove my love to You now?” The emphatic, “Oh Lover” suggests the speaker can’t believe her lover still doubts her love. She’s miffed, exclaims “Me stop to prove it – now –” [!]. I hear her foot stomp: “Make haste [with your] Scruple! / Death [comes near] / hungry for my soul.”
Stanzas 2-4
My year-old comment (January 22, 2024) in The Prowling Bee still stands: Susan Kornfeld nailed Stanzas 2-4 in her explication of this poem. Speaker and Lover began their love affair with ecstatic infatuation, at least in Speaker’s imagination, but Lover sensed some real or imagined evidence that Speaker hasn’t been honest with him. He wants proof of her love.
Stanza 1 expresses Speaker’s exasperation with Lover’s unfair demand for proof. Meanwhile, River of Death rises over Speaker’s mouth as she closes Stanza 4. Lover stands aloof in ignorance, still demanding proof of her love.
From ED’s pathological perspective, this scenario is what happened when Wadsworth moved from Philadelphia to San Francisco in May 1862. However, we now know the main reason he left Arch Street Presbyterian was because his congregation was largely anti-slavery, and Wadsworth believed the Bible condoned slavery. Slavery was less important to his new congregation in San Francisco, and Wadsworth tread carefully on the topic.