Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

Consider why Dickinson’s poetry is more terse and/or brief than most other poetry you might have read.

Compared to other poetry I have read, Emily Dickinson’s poetry tends to be brief and simple. The entire poem seems to be telling a story about someone’s life as each stanza provides memorable moments of that person’s life to the readers. The imagery and irony, showed in parts of the poem, help emphasize those moments to the reader. By reading these moments, readers can connect with the author by putting themselves in her “shoes,” and visualize how these moments occur in someone’s life. Dickinson’s poem also connects readers to their own life, allowing them to visualize certain moments that they encountered and understand why it occurred in their life.