Who is Emily Dickinson, Private Poetess

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Her Simple Life Yielded a Prevailing Art

During her quiet, reserved life, Emily Dickinson privately wrote some of the most important and persevering poetry in all of American history. While many of her acquaintances probably knew of her love of writing, very few had any idea of the great extent of the talent she harbored or the countless pages of beautiful poetry that had poured from her soul throughout her lifetime. Because of her humility, her work is not tainted by a selfish underpinnings for recognition or money. Her discretionary lifestyle of quiet reflection gave a unique sincerity, a deep well of intricate truths to her writing that explains the universality of her appeal.

Emily Dickinson at a Glance 

Category: File - :Black-white photograph of Emily Dickinson2.jpg|thumb|200px|From the daguerreotype taken at Mount Holyoke, December 1846 or early 1847. The only authenticated portrait of Emily Dickinson later than childhood, the original is held by the Archives and Special Collections at Amherst College.D'Arienzo (2006)

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 ? May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After she studied at the Amherst Academy for seven years in...

Featured Dickinson Poem 

Afraid? Of whom am I afraid?
Not death; for who is he?
The porter of my father's lodge
As much abasheth me.

Of life? 'T were odd I fear a thing
That comprehendeth me
In one or more existences
At Deity's decree.

Of resurrection? Is the east
Afraid to trust the morn
With her fastidious forehead?
As soon impeach my crown!

A Quick Guide to Understanding Dickinson's Grammar 

Dickinson is perhaps most well recognized by her very distinctive grammar style. However, it is not the easiest poetic style to read to the untrained eye.

First of all, she writes in a very metaphorical language, so the picture she describes is often representative of a deeper truth and a bigger picture. She often does this in a very tight package, using a minimalist amount of words to paint this very large abstract picture. A reader who can take her exact description and paint the mental picture in the mind's eye will be most ready to fully understand Dickinson's word art.

Another thing you must be aware of is that her writing loosely follows that of the biblical psalms and proverbs. I say loosely because she interrupts the rhythm of the poem with odd grammatical structures, like her characteristic dashes and odd capitalization patterns. She uses these to break the regular meter long enough for the reader to notice the subtle emphasis she places on unexpected words or phrases. By spotlighting a certain word or phrase, she is able to paint a more vivid picture with fewer words.

For a more thorough reference to understanding this literary genius, check out Decoding Dickinson: A Reader's Guide to Analyzing the Classic Poet.

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Emily Dickinson on Flickr 

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Sky and Branches

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