O shades of night—O moody, tearful night! O great star disappear’d—O the black murk that hides the star! O cruel hands that hold me powerless—O helpless soul of me!
Whitman's imagery of the great star disappearing and the black murk that hides the star is symbolic of grief. His feeling of helplessness is due to his inability to control the death of someone he loved.
The Eyes around - had wrung them dry - And Breaths were gathering firm For that last Onset - when the King Be witnessed - in the Room -
Dickinson describes her mourners in the room with unique verbiage. The eyes around were her loved ones and their eyes were wrung dry meaning they had cried all the tears they could and no longer had any left. Breaths gathering firm indicates they have settled from uncontrollable sadness and crying and have steadied their breathing. They gathered firmly awaiting the last onset when the king (god) was witnessed in the room which means some sort of sign that she passed into the kingdom of heaven.