Emily Dickinson Poetry

Today we read a bio of Emily Dickinson and some of her poetry. She had a wonderful way with images, but we didn't enjoy her poems as much as Sandburg's. She wrote over 1700 poems, but only 6 were published during her lifetime. None of the ones in this book were titled. There were a couple that I enjoyed:

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

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There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!

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(This one reminded me of my daughter)

The bee is not afraid of me,
I know the butterfly,
The pretty people in the woods
Recieve me cordially.

The brooks laugh louder when I come,
The breezes madder play.
Wherefore, mine eyes, thy silver mists?
Wherefore, O summer's day?

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(This was my favorite because I love Thunderstorms!)

The wind begun to rock the grass
With threatening tunes and low, -
He flung a menace at the earth,
A menace at the sky.

The leaves unhooked themselves from trees
And started all abroad;
The dust did scoop itself like hands
And throw away the road.

The wagons quickened on the streets,
The thunder hurried slow;
The lightning showed a yellow beak,
And then a livid claw.

The birds put up the bars to nests,
The cattle fled to barns;
There came one drop of giant rain,
And then, as if the hands

That held the dams had parted hold,
The waters wrecked the sky,
But overlooked my father's house,
Just quartering a tree.

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One thing that struck me overall, was I often liked the beginning verse or verses, but the last one often didn't seem to fit (to me).