This is a poem by Emily Dickinson:
To wait an Hour—is long—
If Love be just beyond—
To wait Eternity—is short—
If Love reward the end—
What's the meaning of the phrase be just beyond here?
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'be just beyond' means to follow or exist some point close to what it is beyond. the shoe shop is just beyond the cafe. i can't speak for the poem tho!– user99677Commented Sep 8, 2018 at 13:25
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1Maybe the question here is "be" ... see "present subjunctive" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subjunctive_mood#English Note "reward" later is also subjunctive.– GEdgarCommented Sep 8, 2018 at 13:30
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did you just start modpo?– user99677Commented Sep 8, 2018 at 14:09
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@user3293056 Strictly, “close to that which it is just beyond.”. It is beyond it, but not far beyond.– TuffyCommented Sep 8, 2018 at 15:08
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oh yeah it says 'just beyond' sorry not focusing @Tuffy– user99677Commented Sep 8, 2018 at 15:12
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2 Answers
Beyond, as in, "beyond theese gates, adventure awaits." Or in this case, "If Love be just beyond" is referring to a point, on my sentence it was a point in space, the gate, in this poem it was a point in time. "To wait an Hour—is long— If Love be just beyond—" The hour, that it is referring to. Beyond, is referring to the area of space past, or beyond, the gates in my sentence. Beyond then refers to the time that exists one hypothetical hour past when the waiting started in your poetic example.
To sum it up in really plain English. And in my own words.
Even only being without you for an hour is hard I can't wait for it to be over so that I can be with you again. But even if I had to wait that hour, that seems like forever it's all worth it if I can see you again.
beyond (someone or something) TFD idiom
- Very difficult for one to comprehend or do.
As in :
If Love be just beyond (comprehension or attainment) _
just: only a very short time before
