What does Emily Dickinson convey in the poem "Because I could not Stop For Death"?

Through this excellent personifiation of Death as a kindly
old man driving a carriage, Dickinson seems to present a rather ironic and different
impression of death than we usually associate with this figure. Through this
personification, Dickinson seems to challenge our own views about death and make us
think very carefully about our own lives and expectations of death. Ironically, the
speaker of this poem is so busy that they haven't thought about death or prepared
themselves for it in any way:

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Because I could not stop for
Death--

He kindly stopped for
me--

Note the irony in the
word "kindly." The speaker is so busy that Death has had to stop life for her. This is
an impression that is continued throughout the poem, especially in the final
stanza:

Since
then--'tis Centuries--and yet

Feels shorter than the
Day

I first surmised the Horses'
heads

Were towards
Eternity--

The speaker shows
that she is surprised to learn that life is actually a journey towards death and that
she seems unprepared for it. The way that our lives are described as being a long ride
"towards Eternity" to my mind communicates the challenge of this poem. Dickinson cuts
through the business of our lives and the way that we often try to ignore our final fate
by telling us that no matter how busy we are, we can't outlive death. We need to accept
that our lives are one long journey towards "Eternity," and live our lives accordingly
in response.