I Died for Beauty, but was Scarce
This poem explores the tension between beauty and mortality. The speaker's life has been marked by a pursuit of beauty, but it has come at the cost of their own existence. They acknowledge that they have died for this ideal, but note that they were not particularly remarkable or notable in doing so. The poem suggests that the pursuit of beauty can be a self-destructive endeavor, and that true beauty may lie in the imperfections and scars that make us human.
By Emily Dickinson · First published 1890 · Genre: Poetry, Philosophical, Metaphysical · 117 words
First lines
I died for beauty, but was scarce Adjusted in the tomb, When one who died for truth was lain In an adjoining room.
He questioned softly why I failed? "For beauty," I replied. "And I for truth, -- the two are one; We brethren are," he said.
And so, as kinsmen met a night, We talked between the rooms, Until the moss had reached our lips, And covered up our names.
What this Textopian page supports
I Died for Beauty, but was Scarce is listed on Textopian as a poem by Emily Dickinson, dated 1890 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Emily Dickinson
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Philosophical, Metaphysical, Symbolism, American Literature
- Length: 117 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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Similar titles
- Not Any Higher Stands The Grave by Emily Dickinson
- Dying by Emily Dickinson
- Requiem by Emily Dickinson
- Epitaph by Emily Dickinson
- The Distance That The Dead Have Gone by Emily Dickinson
- The Bone That Has No Marrow by Emily Dickinson
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with a focus on meter and rhyme.
- Philosophical — Explores themes of beauty, truth, and the nature of existence.
- Metaphysical — Engages with abstract concepts and the afterlife.
- Symbolism — Uses symbolic language to convey deeper meanings about life and death.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Mortality · Beauty · Death · Nature · Symbolism · Imagery · Metaphor · Personification · Solitude