by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886)
If tolling bell I ask the cause
Language: English
If tolling bell I ask the cause. `A soul has gone to God,' I’m answered in a lonesome tone; Is heaven then so sad? That bells should joyful ring to tell A soul had gone to heaven, Would seem to me the proper way A good news should be given.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Poems by Emily Dickinson. Third Series, ed by Mabel Loomis Todd, Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1896.
Text Authorship:
- by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886), "Joy in Death", appears in Poems: Third Series, in 4. Time and Eternity, no. 43 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Paul Wehage , "If tolling bell I ask the cause" [ high voice and piano ], from Ten Dickinson Songs, no. 6 [sung text not yet checked]
Another version of this text exists in the database.
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Bertram Kottmann
This text was added to the website: 2020-04-27
Line count: 8
Word count: 50