Though her world was simple, it was also complex in its beauties and its terrors.

She used them because they constituted so much of her life and, more importantly, because she found meanings latent in them.

These materials represent the range of what she experienced in and around her father's house.

Her poems are filled with robins, bees, winter light, household items, and domestic duties.

Thematerialsandsubjectmatter of her poetryarequiteconventional.Dickinsonfoundirony, ambiguity, andparadoxlurking in thesimplestandcommonestexperiences.She had an uncanny sense of expressionwhen it cametothesubjects of mortality, loveandhope.She also used contemporary popular church hymns, transforming their standard rhythms into free-form hymn meters.ĭickinson'spoemswerewrittenusingunusualmeterandrhymeschemesthatwentagainsttheestablishednorms, but shecontinuedtowrite her poems her waythroughout her life time.In her own work she was original and innovative, but she did draw upon her knowledge of the Bible, classical myths, and Shakespeare for allusions and references in her poetry.Writers contemporary to her had little or no effect upon the style of her writing. Emily had innovative views and unorthodox beliefs, but she often doubted her own convictions thus influences of Emerson and other poets were of great importance.The works of other poets, in particular Emerson, were important for Emily Dickinson in opening up spiritual ideas beyond the strict Calvinism.She wrote her drafts on scraps of paper, grocery lists, and the backs of recipes and used envelopes.īenjamin Newton was one of the first people to recognise the poetic capacities of Emily, and encouraged her to write poetry.Dickinson neither completed many poems nor prepared them for publication.

She was a profound and intelligent poet, and her preoccupation with her writing seemed a harmless enough outlet for her peculiarities.Emily was indulged in her 'eccentricity' by her family.

Open Me Carefully by Emily Dickinson