Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), possibly America's greatest poet, expresses the profoundest understanding of death. This is one of her most celebrated poems,  'Because I could not stop for Death -', No. 712,  written c.1863, and here set for soprano/mezzo-soprano and piano. Dickinson poses an intellectual challenge to composers because of her unusual metres and idiosyncratic use of dashes. I have tried to capture these features in this modern version, in which the listener may sense the hoof beats of black-plumed horses. It is one of my more demanding original compositions.