Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality
We slowly drove – He knew no haste
This line of the poem immediately portrays death in a somewhat positive light. Death here is not described as painful or mean,but a gentleman who kindly stops for the speaker. Though there is a sense that the speaker is not ready for death, one can assume that because death is this kind gentleman that comes to pick the speaker up she willingly goes for the ride with hesitation or putting up a fight. This positive characteristic that death is given contrast with what people are use to. Usually death is a painful thing that many try to avoid though it is ultimately unavoidable. It can be assumed that the speaker knows that even though she is not ready for death ultimately it is unavoidable so she willingly takes the ride with death.
Because I Could Not Stop for Death