"Lest any doubt" by Emily Dickinson

A daguerreotype of a young Susan Dickinson with a frame, contributed from Dickinson Family Photographs. Houghton Library, Harvard University.

Lest any doubt that we are glad that they were born Today
Whose having lived is held by us in noble holiday
Without the date, like Consciousness or Immortality -


By Emily Dickinson, from a note sent to her sister-in-law, Susan,  in occasion of her 40th birthday, on December 19th 1870.


Italian Version:



Affinché nessun dubiti che siamo lieti per chi nacque Oggi
La cui esistenza è da noi reputata una nobile festa
Senza data, come la Consapevolezza o l'Immortalità -