Dickinson

We must practice the art of dying...

so that when death comes for us, we are ready.

We must prepare for the hors mori,

the hour of death.

For what you are when you die...

the same will you reappear in the great day of eternity.

Here on earth,

everything is changing and unsettled.

Beyond the grave, however...

our condition is unchanging.

Strange and mysterious it is, then,

that God so often permits the shadow of death...

to be thrown down on us,

that we may prepare ourselves for His coming.

And, speaking of shadows,

I hope you all plan to watch

today's annular eclipse of the sun.

In God's name we pray, amen.

- Amen. - Amen.

- Where are we gonna watch the eclipse? - I'll have to watch it from Betty's.

I'm getting my wedding dress fitted this afternoon.

That's right, that's right.

Now, you remember, tell Betty, add as much lace as she wants.

- Last time... - We should go.

Oh, yes, of course. Good-bye.

- Lovely sermon today, Pastor. -

Thank you, Mrs. Dickinson.

I always look forward to Sundays.

Kind of you to say. And today will be particularly special.

Do you plan to observe the celestial event?

The eclipse, Mom.

Oh, I'll probably be too busy in the kitchen.

I'll be watching.

Very good.

And I hope you will perceive in it some evidence of God's wonder.

I'm just hoping I don't go blind.

- Well... - Where's Lavinia?

God, all that talk about death made me so horny.

- Joseph. - Yeah?

I made something for you.

No, no. Really, I can't accept any more mittens.

No, it's this.

Whoa!

That's you.

You recognized.

Are you kidding? I'd know those tits anywhere.

Oh. I thought you were complimenting my sketch technique.

No, yeah. You sketched your tits really well.

Thank you.

I can have this?

Yes. It's for you.

Because you're the only man I ever want to gaze upon my body.

I'mma do more than just gaze upon that body, girl.

My God.

My God!

Edward says that a man reached for a gun on the floor of Congress

to shoot another congressman.

That's awful, ma'am.

"Congressman Churchwell reached for his gun

to shoot Representative Cullom, who lunged at him

after Churchwell accused him of defending the Missouri Compromise."

So, a man nearly shot another man because he wasn't pro-slavery enough.

Honestly, can't anyone in this country be civil to each other?

Now I have to worry about Edward and a gunfight.

As if I don't already have enough on my plate.

Have you seen Ben?

- Mr. Newton, you mean? - Mm.

No. He hasn't been here today. And I hope he doesn't come.

Mom, why? You don't like him?

I like him just fine.

But I sent him home yesterday with strict orders to stay in bed.

He had a cough that was positively wracking.

Never a good sign, a cough like that.

Aye, to be sure.

Me husbands all had terrible coughs like that before they passed.

How many husbands have you had?

Ah, what difference does it make? They're all dead now.

Well, Ben is coming here today. We're going to watch the eclipse.

Really, Emily?

That's not a good idea.

He should not be out in the cold. And neither should you.

Death is everywhere this winter.

You know Ithamar Conkey's eldest daughter?

She went ice-skating last week and got consumption.

Mm.

Now she's buried in the ground.

I know. And the frost killed all my violets too.

It's tragic.

- Don't be flippant. - I'm not.

I loved those violets.

He's here. I knew he'd come.

Don't let him in.

Ben, how are you feeling?

I'm fine.

I'm...

Oh, no. Your cough is getting worse.

No, I...

Ben, you're too sick. We can't go out.

No, we have to go. We can't miss this.

It's okay. There will be another eclipse.

No, there won't. Not for decades.

And I promised you this...

- - God, Ben.

Let's just stay in.

I'll make you tea. We can sit by the fire and...

No, Emily.

The only fire that I wanna see

is that ring of fire around the black shadow of the moon.

And I wanna see it with you.

Imagine...

darkness at noon.

Now, come on. Let's get your coat. Let's go.

- - Okay.

Hold this for me.

You must be getting excited.

Oh, I don't know. Weddings are such a fuss.

Especially a Dickinson wedding.

It's all anyone in town can talk about.

Already? It's still months away.

Yes, well, it better be.

Or else I won't have time to finish this dress.

Honey, I don't know if I measured wrong or if you're getting a bit thicker...

around here.

Well, I haven't been holding back at meals.

I know some women stop eating altogether before their weddings,

but I can't seem to stop.

I think maybe it's how I handle the nerves, you know?

Oh, yes. I got real hungry before my wedding too.

Real hungry.

Maybe I should add more room around the waist

in case your appetite doesn't subside.

- That sounds good. - Mm-hm.

- Right here is perfect. - Yes.

Don't look.

So, have you been reading the new book I gave you?

Oh, yes. I'm all about William Blake now.

Which do you like better?

"Songs of Innocence" or "Songs of Experience"?

You can't even ask that question. That's two sides of the same coin.

Totally.

I memorized one. "The Garden of Love."

Let's hear it.

"I went to the Garden of Love And saw what I never had seen

A Chapel was built in the midst Where I used to play on the green"

"And the gates of this Chapel were shut And Thou shalt not. Writ over the door

So I turned to the Garden of Love That so many sweet flowers bore"

"And I saw it was filled with graves

And tomb-stones where flowers should be"

"And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds"

"And binding with briars, my joys and desires"

It's so creepy, right?

I love it.

Oh! Uh...

Hey, Emily.

Hey, George.

Long time no see.

Yeah. I've... changed a lot.

Uh, this is Ellen.

Ellen Mandeville Grout.

Oh.

Of the Princeton Grouts.

Emily Dickinson.

Of... here.

And this is?

Oh, this is my friend Ben.

That doesn't sound good, man. You should go inside.

We're just out to watch the eclipse.

Us too.

You know you shouldn't stare directly at the sun, right?

- Of course we know that. - Okay.

Just wanted to make sure.

We poked some holes in a piece of paper.

Ben made us smoked glass.

Guess you got this covered.

Why didn't you make those for us?

Well, we should keep walking.

It's, um...

It's good to see you, Emily.

So, how long has he been in love with you?

He, uh, wanted to marry me.

Aha. And you said...

- No. -

Kicked him out of the garden of love, huh?

I never said he could enter it in the first place.

You know, sometimes...

I wanna ask you.

You wanna ask me what?

To marry me.

No. I mean, not to marry me.

I wanna ask you to not marry me.

Forever.

- I would do that. - Really?

Should I propose?

I mean, no. Un-propose.

No. No, it should be the reverse.

I should be the one who un-proposes to you.

- Ben Newton... - Mm-hm?

...will you anti-marry me?

You mean...

I mean to not have and to not hold for as long as we both shall...