I had no time to hate, because
The grave would hinder me,
And life was not so ample I
Could finish enmity.

 

Nor had I time to love; but since
Some industry must be,
The little toil of love, I thought,
Was large enough for me.

                   During the writing of this poem, Emily Dickinson is on her deathbed. She is near death when she starts to regret time she has spent pulling herself away from the world. She uses symbolism to represent obstacles in her life.
                   Since she senses her death is near, she ponders "I had no time to hate." Hatred can easily consume a person. Dickinson implies that she wishes she had time for enmity because her life "was not so ample." But she has no time for her emotions and so she states "the grave would hinder me."
                   In the second stanza of the poem, Dickinson expresses that she has not the time for love either when she suggests "Nor had I time to love." I am not convinced that Dickinson is looking for love, but that she is entertaned by it for a short period of time. I conclude my previous statement from the quote "some industry must be...was large enough for me." To me, this poem shows that Emily Dickinson was displeased by the life she lived.

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,                                                                                                                                    Or help one fainting robinUnto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

                  "If I can stop one heart from breaking" is a poem where Dickinson suggests that if she could help one person with his/her relationship, her life would be a success. She motions "If I can ease one life the aching." I believe this statement gives the poem a deeper meaning. Dickinson not only feels that if she could keep a heart from breaking, her life would be successful. She also feels that if she could help mend a heart that has already been broken, and make it whole again, she would have a life worth living.

                   Dickinson's diction, figurative language, and imagery develop the idea that she is passionately concearned with helping others heal their once broken hearts. From quotes in the poem, I am lead to believe that Dickinson had a broken heart at the time this poem was writen.

LOVE is anterior to life,
Posterior to death,
Initial of creation, and
The exponent of breath.

                 In this poem, I interpret that Emily Dickinson describing the circle of life that love creates. Dickinson suggests that love has to exist for life to begin. She implies that people show love for a person even after they die by stating, "Posterior to death." Love is the initial step of creation; I believe because without love, there would be no married couples. With married couples, there is the creation of babies. The creation of babies is the creation of life, as a consequence breath is the exponent. Dickinson posits the notion that love is the circle of life. This poem has a bit symbolism but seems to contain quite a bit of assonance.