I should not dare to leave my friend,
Because—because if he should die
While I was gone—and I—too late—
Should reach the Heart that wanted me—
If I should disappoint the eyes
That hunted—hunted so—to see—
And could not bear to shut until
They "noticed" me—they noticed me—
If I should stab the patient faith
So sure I'd come—so sure I'd come—
It listening—listening—went to sleep—
Telling my tardy name—
My Heart would wish it broke before—
Since breaking then—since breaking then—
Were useless as next morning's sun—
Where midnight frosts—had lain!
I should not dare, Emily Dickinson's haunting poem set to wonderful music written and sung by David Sylvian the clip is from the French silent film classic titled Ménilmontant.
A film starring Nadia Sibirskaia as a French girl whose parents are murdered before her eyes; looking for love in the wrong place she becomes pregnant out of wedlock, is homeless and starving, and suddenly finds kindness in the most unlikely of places.
Directed by Dimitri Kirsanoff, who was married to the actress.