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4th out of 251 books
—
88 voters
Selected Poems
Wonderful selection of this great poet's greatest, most popular poems. Includes "There's a certain slant of light," "Because I could not stop for death," "It was not death for I stood up."
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published
February 6th 1999
by Value Proprietary
(first published 1890)
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1
Because I could not stop for Cops
They kindly Stopped for Me
The Roadblocks covered all three lanes
Perfect Symmetry
2
A narrow Fellow - in the grass
With one eyed – snake – and smile
You may have met him – did you not
The local – paedo – phile
3
I heard a Boy-Band - when I died
The Radio - was on
And rushing so - to switch it Off
And catching - my left Thumb
And dancing round in - Painful Jig
And - tripping on a clod
Such - Banal invitation - to
The Vestibule of God
4
Hope is a thing with feathers
That perches in...more
Because I could not stop for Cops
They kindly Stopped for Me
The Roadblocks covered all three lanes
Perfect Symmetry
2
A narrow Fellow - in the grass
With one eyed – snake – and smile
You may have met him – did you not
The local – paedo – phile
3
I heard a Boy-Band - when I died
The Radio - was on
And rushing so - to switch it Off
And catching - my left Thumb
And dancing round in - Painful Jig
And - tripping on a clod
Such - Banal invitation - to
The Vestibule of God
4
Hope is a thing with feathers
That perches in...more
I had no time to hate, because
The grave would hinder me,
And life was not so ample I
Could finish enmity.
Nor had I time to love ; but since
Some industry must be,
The little toil of love, I thought,
Was large enough for me.
I have repeated from time to time on this site that I was not a big fan of 19th century literature as far as America and western Europe were concerned. That even someone who reads the classics like me found it out of my toleration. Well, even I can have exceptions and the poetry o...more
The grave would hinder me,
And life was not so ample I
Could finish enmity.
Nor had I time to love ; but since
Some industry must be,
The little toil of love, I thought,
Was large enough for me.
I have repeated from time to time on this site that I was not a big fan of 19th century literature as far as America and western Europe were concerned. That even someone who reads the classics like me found it out of my toleration. Well, even I can have exceptions and the poetry o...more
“To be a Flower, is profound Responsibility—“ (#1058 )
I went to Amherst, Massachusetts, in search of a prophetess. I found a poet of close observation, of quiet, and of solitude. I gravitate towards cheerful Walt Whitman because I celebrate his optimism, enthusiasm, loud exuberance, and sacrificial service to others. In Emily, I found his temperamental opposite.
So Whitman is my poetic prophet of the gregarious macro; Emily is my prophet of the shy micro. Together they are the two lungs of Ameri...more
I went to Amherst, Massachusetts, in search of a prophetess. I found a poet of close observation, of quiet, and of solitude. I gravitate towards cheerful Walt Whitman because I celebrate his optimism, enthusiasm, loud exuberance, and sacrificial service to others. In Emily, I found his temperamental opposite.
So Whitman is my poetic prophet of the gregarious macro; Emily is my prophet of the shy micro. Together they are the two lungs of Ameri...more
Poesias difíceis de ser interpretadas e é escassa informação existente sobre a sua vida. Tenta-se construir várias imagens possíveis da poeta, influenciadas por mitos que, ora se complementam, ora se contrapõem.
Dickinson não chegou a publicar os seus versos, por não se submeter aos rígidos padrões de discrição e singeleza que se esperava então de uma mulher. Ao arrumar o quarto de Emily depois que ela morreu, a sua irmã Lavinia encontrou uma gaveta cheia de papéis em desordem. Eram cadernos e fo...more
Dickinson não chegou a publicar os seus versos, por não se submeter aos rígidos padrões de discrição e singeleza que se esperava então de uma mulher. Ao arrumar o quarto de Emily depois que ela morreu, a sua irmã Lavinia encontrou uma gaveta cheia de papéis em desordem. Eram cadernos e fo...more
Now I can't remember when I heard the name of Emily Dickinson for the first time. But nevertheless, I can describe with accuracy all my feelings, that appeared after reading her poetry. You can find fabulous deepness and great understanding of the surrounding world. And at the same time we discover Emily as a very sensitive, fragile and sensuous woman. Her philosophy of life ans love is intriguing and mind bending - every word is penetrated with it.
I often reread poems of Emily Dickinson. For ex...more
I often reread poems of Emily Dickinson. For ex...more
Jan 22, 2012
Amalie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
poetry,
books-from-about-europe
My first reading of Dickinson's poetry and I LOVED them. This collection includes over 100 of her poetry obviously the best. At first glance the book and poems seemed so simple and easy to read so I picked it up to read in my spare time (if I ever get any) but it ended up stealing the time I wanted to spend on other books. There is a rich suggestiveness in her poems which generates a range of meanings, and they make you stop and think because every poem seems has more than one meaning.
I see the...more
I see the...more
Isn't interesting how the "poetry of old" tends toward rhyme - and I'm not only thinking of Dickinson here, but her contemporaries too: Charlotte Mew and Sara Teasdale. To some extent the rhyme and rhythm overtakes the poems and instead of actually looking at the words to see what the poem is saying, you're trying to sing along and move onto the next song. Having said that, Dickinson uses some beautiful images, e.g. turning raindrops into pearl necklaces (page 38) and the leaves that "unhook the...more
Don't laugh; she is a wonderful poet.
"Bring me the sunset in a cup,
Reckon the morning’s flagons up
And say how many Dew,
Tell me how far the morning leaps—
Tell me what time the weaver sleeps
Who spun the breadth of blue!
Write me how many notes there be
In the new Robin’s ecstasy
Among astonished boughs—
How many trips the Tortoise makes—
How many cups the Bee partakes,
The Debauchee of Dews!
Also, who laid the Rainbow’s piers,
Also, who leads the docile spheres
By withes of supple blue?
Whose fingers string...more
"Bring me the sunset in a cup,
Reckon the morning’s flagons up
And say how many Dew,
Tell me how far the morning leaps—
Tell me what time the weaver sleeps
Who spun the breadth of blue!
Write me how many notes there be
In the new Robin’s ecstasy
Among astonished boughs—
How many trips the Tortoise makes—
How many cups the Bee partakes,
The Debauchee of Dews!
Also, who laid the Rainbow’s piers,
Also, who leads the docile spheres
By withes of supple blue?
Whose fingers string...more
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This time I want to interpret the peoms becuase I have never Interpreted the peoms in ELI classes. I haard that UTA litureture class does peom interpreting and anlalzing, so I want to try it.
Clock
A clock stopped not the matel's;
Geneva's farthest skill
Can't put the purppet bowing
That just now dangled still.
Aawe came on the trinket!
The figures hunched with pain,
into degreeless nonn.
I will not stir for doctors,
This pendulum of snow;
The shopman imrotunes it,
While cool, concernless No
Nods form the gi...more
Clock
A clock stopped not the matel's;
Geneva's farthest skill
Can't put the purppet bowing
That just now dangled still.
Aawe came on the trinket!
The figures hunched with pain,
into degreeless nonn.
I will not stir for doctors,
This pendulum of snow;
The shopman imrotunes it,
While cool, concernless No
Nods form the gi...more
This book is a book full of poems written by Emily. Her poems are sooo good; it speaks on love, love going away, betrayal, friendship, nature, hurt and soooo much more. This book was published after Emily's death. Her neice had found the pages and felt it was soooo good that it should be turned into another book and of course she had help with the oublishing and the editing of the book. One of my fav poems she did was "Hope-is the thing with feathers"(page 19).
Hope is the thing with feathers
T...more
Hope is the thing with feathers
T...more
I must admit that reading this was my first real exposure to Emily Dickinson. Yes, I knew she was a famous poet, but I had never spent any time reading her work, nor could I identify any poem as belonging to her. But after having her mentioned repeatedly in another book I just read I decided to download a free e-book version of her poems.
Poetry is such a unique writing style to me. I am not an expert on poetry, and poems either resonate with me, or they don’t. A poem could be a brilliant work of...more
Poetry is such a unique writing style to me. I am not an expert on poetry, and poems either resonate with me, or they don’t. A poem could be a brilliant work of...more
Dickinson always wrote her poems in eccentric way and on her own imaginative originality, use metaphors in her poems with a large of vocabularies to describe love, life, and nature. Some of her poems tried to examine the mysteries of life and death.
Jan 17, 2013
Laura
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
goodwill-finds,
poetry-and-plays
Several years ago, I was introduced to Emily Dickinson’s poem about the clover and the bee. Oh, you know which one I’m talking about –
To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee, -
One clover, and a bee,
And revery.
The revery alone will do
If bees are few.
Well, I decided that was dumb. I mean, here she started out by saying what you need and the she ends by saying that you don’t need it after all. Don’t YOU think that’s dumb?
So, with all of my thirteen year old wisdom, I consigned Emily Dic...more
To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee, -
One clover, and a bee,
And revery.
The revery alone will do
If bees are few.
Well, I decided that was dumb. I mean, here she started out by saying what you need and the she ends by saying that you don’t need it after all. Don’t YOU think that’s dumb?
So, with all of my thirteen year old wisdom, I consigned Emily Dic...more
Death, death, and more death. That sums up how Emily Dickinson wrote her poems about. Occasionally she wrote about suffering and lonelyness. I can see how she came about writing these poems since she was a recluse. Dickinson did write poems with very descriptive language. One of her poems was about nature and it very detailed in how it is written. Also Dickinson's punctiation was very unique. She added dashes in places that did not seem logical and some words were capatialized throughout the poe...more
This is a good selection of poems, but the big drawback is that Dickinson's unusual punctuation has been smoothed out and most of her characteristic dashes have been removed.
1 like
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like
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Despite her status as a preeminent American poet, Dickinson has always rather left me cold. Poetry's a personal thing, and Emmy's unnamed rhapsodies on death and flowers (not necessarily in that order) just don't do it for me. In the interest of fairness, however, I decided to give the selected poems a go - and in the end, wish I'd foregone. Innovative, yes. Stylistically intriguing, perhaps. (Personally I see similarities to Classical poetry, but whatever.) Moving? Not so much. I found a handfu...more
Emily Dickinson is my all-time favorite poet. I loved one of her nature poems that was including in an anthology I read often as a child. I will never forget the effect the following poem had on me the first time I read it, which was in college:
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 played,
T...more
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 played,
T...more
I've started reading this book because of Torchwood. It was a specific episode in which they mentioned Emily Dickinson's poems. Usually this kind of things makes me read books I'd usually ignore ( same thing happening with The Collector and Criminal Minds ). Even if in the beginning I was reluctant, those poems made me better understand Emily Dickinson and even the episode from Torchwood and why did they choose her poems.
In the end I can say that those poems are really nice. I must add that she...more
In the end I can say that those poems are really nice. I must add that she...more
1 like
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like
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I bought a small collection of the Selected Poems of Emily Dickinson from a book order when I was in high school. During April, I reread this collection to celebrate Emily Dickinson month in the Victorian Challenge. I enjoyed the preface, which gave a brief account of Dickinson, her life, and what is known of her writing the poems.
I loved reading the poems themselves. They are short poems, but yet Dickinson captured the essence of wonder about death, love, and life. I don’t know best how to desc...more
I loved reading the poems themselves. They are short poems, but yet Dickinson captured the essence of wonder about death, love, and life. I don’t know best how to desc...more
Oct 12, 2009
Victor Archila
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
People who like classic poetry
This book truely shows some of Emily Dickinson's best work. Its shows her feelings about life, death, nature, love, and time. Her poems make you think about the subjects. She also relates them to her life as if to make readers also have a text to self connection. Although her poems were left unpublished when she died she would've probably wanted the world to know about how she felt about life. She uses really strong and intellectual words. I believe that emily dickinson is one of the best poets...more
"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."
Dickinson's beautiful poetry is so soft, fragile and gentle that the words almost feel like a gush of fresh air caressing your cheek. Her style is rather simple, but her poems are so deep that they can have any number of meanings.
This is my first time reading her poetry, but defin...more
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."
Dickinson's beautiful poetry is so soft, fragile and gentle that the words almost feel like a gush of fresh air caressing your cheek. Her style is rather simple, but her poems are so deep that they can have any number of meanings.
This is my first time reading her poetry, but defin...more
I enjoy poetry, but have not really read much since I was in high school. So I decided this would be a good classic book of poetry to start with. Here are some of my favorite parts...
"Hope" (first verse)
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,
"Two Voyagers" (first verse)
Two butterflies went out at noon
And waltzed above a stream,
Then stepped straight through the firmament
And rested on a beam
"A Book"
There is no frigate...more
"Hope" (first verse)
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,
"Two Voyagers" (first verse)
Two butterflies went out at noon
And waltzed above a stream,
Then stepped straight through the firmament
And rested on a beam
"A Book"
There is no frigate...more
I am just past halfway and I really just want to give up on this for two reasons.
1. I don't particularly like Dickinson's poetry. Her nonstandard grammar makes it difficult to understand what she's on about. Out of 100s of poems, so far I have liked four. And one of those was only because it evoked ancient Chinese erotic poetry, if it was poorly translated, but then it is hard to write about bees visiting flowers without doing so [added: being erotic, that is].
2. The book itself. The book is cle...more
1. I don't particularly like Dickinson's poetry. Her nonstandard grammar makes it difficult to understand what she's on about. Out of 100s of poems, so far I have liked four. And one of those was only because it evoked ancient Chinese erotic poetry, if it was poorly translated, but then it is hard to write about bees visiting flowers without doing so [added: being erotic, that is].
2. The book itself. The book is cle...more
I have a hard time reviewing classics.
Specifically, I have a hard time reviewing poetry. I don't know if nature or nurture plays center stage here, but any attempts to be deep about this book would go to waste. Whether a university essay or random scribbles on the back of a receipt, writing is a personal exercise, and that applies tenfold for poetry. To put your thoughts together is hard enough, but to hide it behind elaborate tropes and then put it in verse makes it a very private sort of ritua...more
Specifically, I have a hard time reviewing poetry. I don't know if nature or nurture plays center stage here, but any attempts to be deep about this book would go to waste. Whether a university essay or random scribbles on the back of a receipt, writing is a personal exercise, and that applies tenfold for poetry. To put your thoughts together is hard enough, but to hide it behind elaborate tropes and then put it in verse makes it a very private sort of ritua...more
Full disclaimer- I really can't properly review poetry. Mainly because I suck at scansion and meter. Language, I'm good with, but everything else...not so much.
That out of the way, I do quite like Dickinson. This is a fairly comprehensive collection, covering three years of writing (1890, 1891, and 1896), and grouped into her four most prevalent subjects. There's a definite change in the tone of her poems from the 1890 section to 1896, and with the majority of topics (particularly anything in th...more
That out of the way, I do quite like Dickinson. This is a fairly comprehensive collection, covering three years of writing (1890, 1891, and 1896), and grouped into her four most prevalent subjects. There's a definite change in the tone of her poems from the 1890 section to 1896, and with the majority of topics (particularly anything in th...more
Every once in a while you read a writer who makes you realize how pedestrian your own writing is, as well as virtually everyone else’s. Emily Dickinson is such a writer. Unmarried, untraveled and writing before 1887, she nevertheless wrote in a modern, worldly and powerful style at which I can only marvel. The meaning of life, death and eternity seem much clearer in her slender hands.
Even though I previously read some of her work as a child, I can only fully appreciate her now that I have the co...more
Even though I previously read some of her work as a child, I can only fully appreciate her now that I have the co...more
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See my review of series one: my link text
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!
I heard a fly buzz when I died;
The stillness round my form
Was like the stillness in the air
Between the heaves of storm.
The eyes beside had wrung them dry,
And breaths were gathering sure
For that last onset, when the king
Be witnessed in his power....more
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!
I heard a fly buzz when I died;
The stillness round my form
Was like the stillness in the air
Between the heaves of storm.
The eyes beside had wrung them dry,
And breaths were gathering sure
For that last onset, when the king
Be witnessed in his power....more
884
Un ovunque di argento
con corde di sabbia
a impedirgli di cancellare
la Traccia chiamata Terra.
1078
Il trambusto in una casa
è l'attività più solenne
che si svolga sulla terra
il mattino che segue la morte -
Si spazzano i cocci del cuore
con cura si ripone l'amore
che non vorremmo più usare
fino all'eternità.
1127
Morbido come un massacro di soli
trucidati dalle sciabole della notte.
1138
Un ragno cuciva la notte
senza luce
su un arco di bianco.
Se fosse gorgiera di dama
o sudario di gnomo
solo a se stesso diceva...more
Un ovunque di argento
con corde di sabbia
a impedirgli di cancellare
la Traccia chiamata Terra.
1078
Il trambusto in una casa
è l'attività più solenne
che si svolga sulla terra
il mattino che segue la morte -
Si spazzano i cocci del cuore
con cura si ripone l'amore
che non vorremmo più usare
fino all'eternità.
1127
Morbido come un massacro di soli
trucidati dalle sciabole della notte.
1138
Un ragno cuciva la notte
senza luce
su un arco di bianco.
Se fosse gorgiera di dama
o sudario di gnomo
solo a se stesso diceva...more
While I am not much into poetry, this was enjoyable. There are some lovely poems here, and a few that were quite moving. Also lots of lighter poems, particularly those that focused on nature. She does tend to focus on rather somber subjects, primarly death and the afterlife (subtitled "Time and Eternity" in the section headings), but I was still glad I read it.
Beautiful... This is my favourite one:
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
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
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Emily Dickinson was an American poet who, despite the fact that less than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime, is widely considered one of the most original and influential poets of the 19th century.
Dickinson was born to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After she studied at the Amherst Aca...more
More about Emily Dickinson...
Dickinson was born to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After she studied at the Amherst Aca...more
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“She died--this was the way she died;
And when her breath was done,
Took up her simple wardrobe
And started for the sun.
Her little figure at the gate
The angels must have spied,
Since I could never find her
Upon the mortal side.”
—
52 people liked it
And when her breath was done,
Took up her simple wardrobe
And started for the sun.
Her little figure at the gate
The angels must have spied,
Since I could never find her
Upon the mortal side.”
“Anger as soon as fed is dead-
'Tis starving makes it fat. ”
—
46 people liked it
More quotes…
'Tis starving makes it fat. ”
Nov 09, 2012 07:33am
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Nov 09, 2012 07:47am