What are your thoughts on this poem? (Don't worry, it's NOT another "help m

Question:

What are your thoughts on this poem? (Don't worry, it's NOT another "help me with my homework question")

LOVE is anterior to life,
Posterior to death,
Initial of creation, and
The exponent of breath.

-Emily Dickinson

What are your thoughts and reflections on this poem by dear one Emily Dickinson? This is not another "help me with my homework question", I promise you. I'm looking for serious, deep, reflective thoughts you'd be willing to share. Thanks!

Additional Details

4 months ago
how is it "in your face"?

4 months ago
Believe me, it has emotion. You have to read Dickinson a few times and really ponder it before you understand it's entirety and entirety of meaning. That's what I love about her poetry the most- timeless and classic.

But we're all entitled to our opinions.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I love Emily Dickinson but some of her writings are dificult to analyze. We don't know what her state of mind was at the time or what her reflections were.

She is contemplating on Love in this poem. Love is before life even, and remains after death. It is initial at creation and --not sure about the exponent of breath. Maybe life is love and love is expressed with the exponent of every breath? Not sure.

Was she thinking about a loved one? Where does love begin and end? Was there more to this poem? I checked the web but became more confused when I found two endings to this poem.
Some sites quoted the poem ending as "the exponent of earth". This is quite different from breath. Did she write two endings, or is the computer source false.