MMMMMM
01-01-2004, 06:36 PM
Everyone is probably familiar with some poems by Emily Dickinson. She wrote at least 1775 poems, so perhaps I can copy a favorite or two which some of you may not have read it before.
It is also interesting that her early work was edited by another, whose opinion she respected, in an attempt to "help her" or to make her poetry more standard or accessible. Also, later versions of her poems were frequently published slightly changed from the original. What isn't very widely known is that some of her original poems used more dashes than what we may have sometimes read in books or in school. Emily used dashes as a musical device. I am fortunate to have a book which presents the original form of all 1775 of her poems. It is edited by Thomas H. Johnson and published by Back Bay Books of Little, Brown and Company.
I once wrote that I though Dickinson might be one of the greatest poets ever, to which John Cole responded that her meter was very simple--like that used in hymns. Quite true. However the dashes in the original add some peculiarities to the meter which could not be otherwise given as much flexibility. Also, I personally hold in great esteem the form of poetry called Haiku, for its concentrated gem-like qualities, and Dickinson's poetry, while not itself haiku, is incredibly good at "capturing the essence", so to speak, of many things. I think of her poetry as having a this "crystalline" quality.
Anyway, if you have read this far, you may be interested in opening my response(s) to this post which will contain a poem or two or three of Emily's which I particularly liked. I will try to copy the poem with dashes and all, and hopefully some will enjoy.
It is also interesting that her early work was edited by another, whose opinion she respected, in an attempt to "help her" or to make her poetry more standard or accessible. Also, later versions of her poems were frequently published slightly changed from the original. What isn't very widely known is that some of her original poems used more dashes than what we may have sometimes read in books or in school. Emily used dashes as a musical device. I am fortunate to have a book which presents the original form of all 1775 of her poems. It is edited by Thomas H. Johnson and published by Back Bay Books of Little, Brown and Company.
I once wrote that I though Dickinson might be one of the greatest poets ever, to which John Cole responded that her meter was very simple--like that used in hymns. Quite true. However the dashes in the original add some peculiarities to the meter which could not be otherwise given as much flexibility. Also, I personally hold in great esteem the form of poetry called Haiku, for its concentrated gem-like qualities, and Dickinson's poetry, while not itself haiku, is incredibly good at "capturing the essence", so to speak, of many things. I think of her poetry as having a this "crystalline" quality.
Anyway, if you have read this far, you may be interested in opening my response(s) to this post which will contain a poem or two or three of Emily's which I particularly liked. I will try to copy the poem with dashes and all, and hopefully some will enjoy.