Emily Dickinson is one of the most renowned American writers in history. Her poetic works have been inspiring readers since the late 1800s. Considered a pioneer of modern poetry, her works have an unparalleled beauty, complexity and simultaneity, often impressing and captivating her readers.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the best Emily Dickinson poems of all time, detailing the beauty and intrigue of each work. Whether you’re a fan of Dickinson’s or simply looking for an introduction to her iconic works, read on to find out why Emily Dickinson’s poetry has held such long-standing appeal.
A Short Biography on Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts on December 10th 1830, the daughter of a prominent lawyer and relatively affluent family. She was privately educated, making acquaintance of some of the best minds of the decade, such as the poet and essayist Emerson, the Reverend Leonard Humphrey, and the artist Benjamin Hallowell.
Although Dickinson never made many close friends, she did develop a close personal relationship with her mentor, Reverend Charles Wadsworth from Philadelphia. It would be safe to say that he was Dickinson’s only real romantic relationship—at least as far as we know.
Emily’s poetry remained relatively unrecognized until after her death in 1886. Her first published volume of works was released in 1890, three years after her passing. Since then, Dickinson’s works have been the subject of an immense amount of critical acclaim, not to mention admiration and appreciation worldwide.
Dickinson’s Work Habits
Emily Dickinson wrote her poems in the seclusion of her bedroom, often rejecting any visitors. She lived a life of minimalism, rarely venturing more than 10 miles from Amherst. It wasn’t until her death that her incredible catalog of 1,775 poems was discovered by her surviving sister.
Dickinson never chose to conform to any well-established poetic forms such as sonnets, but instead crafted her own unique styles. Often incorporating captivating and surprising words, Dickinson wrote her verse almost exclusively on pen and paper.
Themes In Dickinson’s Work
Although Emily Dickinson’s poetry was widely diverse in its subject matter, themes of Nature, death, love, grief and loss, faith and God are commonplace in her writing.
Dickinson often speaks of the Nature-God complex, writing of the power of the natural world using vivid imagery. Woven through these references to Nature is the feeling of unexplained greatness that Dickinson so often captures.
Likewise, death was an immensely influential force for Dickinson, embodied in her thoughts as a beautiful transition of the soul to eternity. Dickinson refused to think of death in any other way than a divine path of transition, despite the fact she had a father who had already died.
Another of Dickinson’s primary issues was her struggle with love, loneliness and disappointment. Much of her core poems detail her frustration at society’s unfairness, probing the depths of these issues in deeply engaging and transitional ways.
A Selection of the Best Emily Dickinson Poems
- ‘Hope Is the Thing With Feathers’
‘Hope Is the Thing with Feathers’ is one of Emily Dickinson’s most renowned works. In this poem, Dickinson sings of the beauty of hope as a strong, persistent and eternal companion.
Themes of faith, resilience and comfort reverberate through this piece, as Dickinson makes the case for the relevance of hope in our lives. It really is a beautiful poem that captures the idea of hope with such precision and clarity.
- ‘The Soul Selects Her Own Society’
‘The Soul Selects Her Own Society’ is often cited as one of Emily Dickinson’s most enigmatic and intriguing pieces. In this poem, she questions the concept of personal self-isolation and detachment.
Drawing from themes of solitude and personal choice, Dickinson writes of death as an isolating force, and the choice to be an outsider as one of intense strength. Particularly as Dickinson was known for her seclusion, this poem is especially reflective of her own life experiences.
- ‘I’m Nobody! Who Are You?’
‘I’m Nobody! Who Are you?’ is thought to be one of Dickinson’s most famous and notorious poems, resonating with countless numbers of readers.
Through this poem, Dickinson questions the concept of identity, deeming it a positive thing to be a “nobody” with no recognisable achievements and rewards. In Dickinson’s eyes, though, nobodies also carry a certain kind of power, one of hidden strength and mystery.
As Dickinson captures so masterfully in just four simple lines, it doesn’t require wealth or fame to feel a sense of worth and purpose in the world.
- ‘There Is No Frigate Like a Book’
‘There Is No Frigate Like a Book’ is a poem that captures the feeling of unhindered escapism, freedom and discovery through reading. Through the poem, Dickinson suggests a great deal about her own personal relationship with literature, emphasizing the importance of reading for knowledge, joy, peace and comfort.
- ‘I Heard A Fly Buzz- When I Died’
‘I Heard A Fly Buzz- When I Died’ is a short yet brilliant poem about life, death, and the small moments that make up both.
In this poem, one of Dickinson’s most widely read works, she takes readers on a reflective and insightful journey as she navigates symbolically between the two realms of life and death.
Through her attention to detail, Dickinson manages to capture the moment of passing with such clarity, expressing what was ultimately to be one of her recurring themes in her writing: death as a beautiful beginning.
Emily Dickinson is widely considered to be one of the greatest poets of the 19th century, with her works renowned for their simplicity, beauty and impact.
We hope this article has provided you with an appreciation for the depths of her works, as well as an understanding for why her poems have been so influential for centuries.
For those looking for more, discover the full scope of Dickinson’s poetry in the complete collection of her writings, which feature some of the best Emily Dickinson poems of all time. We are certain you will find something that speaks to you in her writings.
