Here’s to Halloween and Dia de los Muertos!

In honor of the occasion, here is a spooky poem written by Emily Dickinson and published posthumously in 1890:

Because I Could Not Stop for Death (Poem 479)

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
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 –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –

We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed Us –
The Dews drew quivering and Chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –

My Tippet – only Tulle –

We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground –
The Roof was scarcely visible –

The Cornice – in the Ground –

Since then – ’tis Centuries – and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses’ Heads

Were toward Eternity –

For more Halloween poetry, try ThoughtCo.com or the Poetry Foundation.