I Shall Know why, when Time is over
The poem explores the idea that true understanding and knowledge can only be achieved after death, when one's perspective has been broadened by time and experience. The speaker suggests that current perceptions are limited and incomplete, and that it is only in the afterlife that one will gain a deeper understanding of life and its mysteries.
By Emily Dickinson · First published 1890 · Genre: Poetry, Religious, Philosophical · 84 words
First lines
I shall know why, when time is over, And I have ceased to wonder why; Christ will explain each separate anguish In the fair schoolroom of the sky.
He will tell me what Peter promised, And I, for wonder at his woe, I shall forget the drop of anguish That scalds me now, that scalds me now.
What this Textopian page supports
I Shall Know why, when Time is over 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, Religious, Philosophical, Reflective
- Length: 84 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with a focus on rhythm and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Religious — The themes revolve around Christian beliefs, referencing Christ and Peter, and the afterlife.
- Philosophical — The poem explores existential questions about suffering and understanding beyond time.
- Reflective — The work is introspective, contemplating personal anguish and future enlightenment.
Tags
Poetry · Mortality · Existentialism · Philosophy · Spirituality · Death · Afterlife · Time · Eternity · Fate · Free Will · Self-Discovery