Emily Dickinson
1830-1886
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
Emily Dickinson
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
Emily Dickinson
Over 1700 poems found
after her death.
ENGL 2030: Experience of Literature—
Poetry [Lavery]
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
Emily Dickinson
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
“Poetry takes the top
of your head off.”—
Emily Dickinson
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
Emily Dickinson
meets Attila the Hun
on Steve Allen’s
Meeting of Minds
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
Emily Dickinson
ENGL 2030: Experience of Literature—
Poetry [Lavery]
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
Miguel de Unamuno (1864-1936)
Asked if he believed in god, Unamumo once replied: “I do
now, but I didn’t ten minutes ago and I might not ten minutes
from now.”
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
324
Some keep the Sabbath going to Church -I keep it, staying at Home -With a Bobolink for a Chorister -And an Orchard, for a Dome -Some keep the Sabbath in Surplice -I just wear my Wings -And instead of tolling the Bell, for Church,
Our little Sexton -- sings.
God preaches, a noted Clergyman -And the sermon is never long,
So instead of getting to Heaven, at last -I'm going, all along.
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
67
Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne'er succeed.
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.
Not one of all the purple Host
Who took the Flag today
Can tell the definition
So clear of Victory
As he defeated -- dying -On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Burst agonized and clear!
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
254
"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.
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
465
I heard a Fly buzz – when I died –
The Stillness in the Room
Was like the Stillness in the Air –
Between the Heaves of Storm –
The Eyes around – had wrung them dry –
And Breaths were gathering firm
For that last Onset – when the King
Be witnessed – in the Room –
I willed my Keepsakes – Signed away
What portions of me be
Assignable – and then it was
There interposed a Fly –
With Blue – uncertain stumbling Buzz –
Between the light – and me –
And then the Windows failed – and then
I could not see to see –
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
341
After great pain, a formal feeling comes -The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs -The stiff Heart questions was it He, that bore,
And Yesterday, or Centuries before?
The Feet, mechanical, go round -Of Ground, or Air, or Ought -A Wooden way
Regardless grown,
A Quartz contentment, like a stone -This is the Hour of Lead -Remembered, if outlived,
As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow -First -- Chill -- then Stupor -- then the letting go --
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
280
I felt a funeral in my brain,
And mourners, to and fro,
Kept treading, treading, till it seemed
That sense was breaking through.
And when they all were seated,
A service like a drum
Kept beating, beating, till I thought
My mind was going numb.
And then I heard them lift a box,
And creak across my soul
With those same boots of lead,
Then space began to toll
As all the heavens were a bell,
And Being but an ear,
And I and silence some strange race,
Wrecked, solitary, here.
And then a plank in reason, broke,
And I dropped down and down-And hit a world at every plunge,
And finished knowing—then--
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
249
Wild Nights – Wild Nights!
Were I with thee
Wild Nights should be
Our luxury!
Futile – the winds –
To a heart in port –
Done with the compass –
Done with the chart!
Rowing in Eden –
Ah, the sea!
Might I moor – Tonight –
In thee!
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
479
Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.
We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –
We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –
Or rather – He passed Us –
The Dews drew quivering and Chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –
My Tippet – only Tulle –
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
479
Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.
We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –
We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
479 (continued)
Or rather – He passed Us –
The Dews drew quivering and Chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –
My Tippet – only Tulle –
We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground –
The Roof was scarcely visible –
The Cornice – in the Ground –
Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity –
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
448
This was a Poet -- It is That
Distills amazing sense
From ordinary Meanings -And Attar so immense
Ars poetica (the art of
poetry)—a poetic subgenre
about the nature of poetry and
poets.
From the familiar species
That perished by the Door -We wonder it was not Ourselves
Arrested it -- before -Of Pictures, the Discloser -The Poet -- it is He -Entitles Us -- by Contrast -To ceaseless Poverty -Of portion -- so unconscious -The Robbing -- could not harm -Himself -- to Him -- a Fortune -Exterior -- to Time -ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery
Emily Dickinson’s Last Letter:
Dear Cousins,
Called back.
Emily
ENGL 2030: Experience of Literature—
Poetry [Lavery]
ENGL 2030—Summer 2013 | Lavery