My life closed twice before its close;
It yet remains to see
If Immortality unveil
A third event to me,
So huge, so hopeless to conceive
As these that twice befell.
Parting is all we know of heaven,
And all we need of hell.

Emily Dickinson's poem poignantly explores the devastating impact of loss. The speaker reflects on two overwhelming instances of grief that felt akin to death itself. This suggests that emotional pain can rival the finality and incomprehensibility of death. The poet remains uncertain if the afterlife holds further unbearable events, mirroring previous losses. The line "Parting is all we know of heaven, And all we need of hell" underscores the duality of parting: it is a form of hell due to the suffering it brings, yet it might also offer a glimpse of heaven, as it implies a deep connection with the deceased. Dickinson captures the human struggle with mortality and the enduring pain of separation in this succinct yet profound meditation on the nature of loss.