by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886)
Why do they shut me out of Heaven? See original
Language: English
Why -- do they shut me out of Heaven? Did I sing -- too loud? But -- I can sing a little minor, Timid as a bird. Wouldn't the angels try me -- just -- once -- more -- Just -- see -- if I troubled them -- But don't -- shut the door! Oh if I -- were the Gentlemen in the White Robes and they -- were the little Hand -- that knocked -- Could -- I -- forbid? Why do they shut me out of Heaven? Did I sing too loud?
Composition:
- Set to music by Aaron Copland (1900 - 1990), "Why do they shut me out of Heaven?", 1949-50, published 1951 [ voice, piano ], from Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson, no. 3
Text Authorship:
- by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886), no title, appears in Further poems of Emily Dickinson, first published 1929
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Per què m’han tancat les portes del cel?", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Pourquoi m'ont-ils fermé la porte du ciel", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 78