To illustrate a poem through cinematic visualization is to preempt the audience’s perception of that poem, and impress the cineast’s vision atop the audience’s imagination. Here, by contrast, is a presentation of Dickinson’s "Because I could not stop for Death" that is without compare in its delicate artistry, its exemplary sense of timing, and its deep emotional impact. The means: the music of John Adams, the minimalist composer and articulate analyst of his own work; a rehearsal of Harmonium with Simon Rattle as the conductor explains the relationship between words and music; and views of Amherst and the sites connected with Emily Dickinson, whose poem is read while the music is played. (18 minutes)