My Favorite Emily Dickinson Poems

Hey everyone! I wanted to pay a tribute to Emily Dickinson. She is one of the most eminent poets in literature. I’ll be talking about my favourite poems from her though it’s hard to choose a favourite, every one of them is unique and tells a story in itself! 

Well, here we go!

 

1)    ‘’Hope’’ is the thing with Feathers(254)

 

This is such a hopeful yet emotionally moving one. Whenever I read this I get an immense hopeful feeling! Hope you get that too. J

 

 

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –

That perches in the soul –

And sings the tune without the words –

And never stops – at all –

 

And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –

And sore must be the storm –

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm –

 

I’ve heard it in the chillest land –

And on the strangest Sea –

Yet – never – in Extremity,

It asked a crumb – of me.

“

 

 

2)    I’m Nobody! Who are you?(260)

 This was probably the first Dickinson poem I read when I was in my first year of university. I literally went to our professor of poetry class and asked what this could mean. He gave me a research project about her! I was completely okay with it as I love Emily and her poems with a little twist and humor. This one is like that too. Usually, we introduce ourselves when we meet somebody. While she introduces herself to us with this poem, she prefers to be a ‘’Nobody’’. Let me highlight the fact that ‘’Nobody’’ is written with a capital letter. This makes us think that maybe it’s her identity.

 

 I’m Nobody! Who are you?

Are you- Nobody-too?

Then there’s a pair of us!

Don’t tell! They’d advertise- you know!

How dreary- to be- Somebody!

How public-like a Frog-

To tell one’s name- the livelong June-

To an admiring Bog!

 

 

 

3) My Life had stood-a Loaded Gun.(764)

This one is another fave of mine. I feel like the feeling of remorse can be felt even in the title. It can be said that the ‘loaded gun” can be used as an extended metaphor for the range that was suppressed.

 My Life had stood-a Loaded Gun-
In corners-till a Day
The Owner passed-identified-
And carried Me away-

And now We roam in Sovereign Woods-
And now We hunt the Doe-
And every time I speak for Him-
The Mountains straight reply-

And do I smile, such cordial light
Opon the Valley glow-
It is as a Vesuvian face-
Had let it’s pleasure through-

And when at Night-Our good Day done-
I guard My Master’s Head-
‘Tis better than the Eider Duck’s
Deep Pillow-to have shared-

To foe of His-I’m deadly foe-
None stir the second time-
On whom I lay a Yellow Eye-
Or an empathetic Thumb-

Though I than He-may longer live
He longer must-than I-
For I have but the power to kill,
Without- the power to die-

Many scholars also think that this was written about Dickinson’s attitude towards her father, but as a literature graduate I have to say, we may never know. That’s what makes poetry so beautiful; it stirs up different emotions in each one of you when you read it.

That’s all for this post! I would love to hear about your favorite poems too! Let’s meet in the comments section. 🙂

x Penny

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