There's Been A Death In The Opposite House

There's been a death in the opposite house
As lately as to-day.
I know it by the numb look
Such houses have alway.

The neighbors rustle in and out,
The doctor drives away.
A window opens like a pod,
Abrupt, mechanically;

Somebody flings a mattress out,--
The children hurry by;
They wonder if It died on that,--
I used to when a boy.

The minister goes stiffly in
As if the house were his,
And he owned all the mourners now,
And little boys besides;

And then the milliner, and the man
Of the appalling trade,
To take the measure of the house.
There'll be that dark parade

Of tassels and of coaches soon;
It's easy as a sign,--
The intuition of the news
In just a country town.

Emily Dickinson


向かいの家に死人が出た

向かいの家に死人が出た。
それも今日のこと。
硬い顔つきで分かった
死者の家はいつも。

近所の出入りがはげしい
医師は立ち去る。
窓がさやのように開く
突然無感動に。

敷布団が投げ出される
子供たちが近寄る。
この上で死んだのと子供たち－
僕も子供の頃使った。

硬い表情で司祭が入る
自分の家のように
司祭が弔問者を指導し
男の子たちがそばに。

そして飾り付けの業者
ゾッとする作業の男
彼らは家の寸法を測る。
黒い行進が始まり

飾りや馬車が間もなく
知らせは簡単―
出来事を知るのは
この田舎町では。

エミリー・ディキンソン