Poetry Spotlight: Black History Month

In my second year of college I took an Introduction to Poetry class and I fell in love with reading poetry. Before then, poetry was always a little intimidating and a medium that I didn't have much experience with. But after that class, I became addicted to reading poetry, and during the class I actually found myself thinking in and expressing myself in poetry- which I never would have guessed would happen in a million years. So, with this series I'm here to share some of my favorite poems in a way that I'm sure will turn out rambley and unorganized.

Read the Rest of my Poetry Spotlight Posts 

I figured I would celebrate Black History Month the best way I know how to celebrate anything, which is with some poetry! Today I'm here to spotlight a few of my favorite black poets and their amazing work. I've also rounded up some really interesting links for you at the end of the post!

Countee Cullen

1903-1946

Cullen was an American poet writing during the Harlem Renaissance (see links below for more info.) Harlem, New York was a hub of art and creation for black Americans in the 1920s, and many artists influenced each other and worked together. Cullen has a bit of a mysterious childhood, but he was adopted by black activist and minister in 1918. Cullen was gay, which caused an internal struggle with his strict Christian upbringing, and tension with his adopted father. Cullen was briefly married to W.E.B Du Bois' daughter Yolanda, until she filed for divorce, partly because of Cullen's attraction to men. After their lavish wedding, and then divorce two years later, he taught French at Fredrick Douglas Junior High, where James Baldwin was one of his pupils. Cullen wrote poetry, novels, plays, and translated fiction, but it is his poetry that has garnered the most recognition in recent years.  

Yet Do I Marvel-- I remember reading this poem for the first time, which is how I know it's a good one. Although the poem only contains two sentences, it packs a huge punch. Cullen starts by stating that he "doubt[s] not God is good, well-meaning, kind" and that he could explain his reasons for everything in this world, including the suffering, but he ends the poem by questioning one specific act of God: "Yet do I marvel at this curious thing:/ To make a poet black, and bid him sing!" 

From the Dark Tower-- This is a poem that speaks of history and future change. The imagery in this poem is very strong and clear and the rhythm carries you through the the final message at the end.   

Langston Hughes

1902-1967

Hughes is one of the most-known Harlem poets, and for good reason. His poetry is easily accessible for all ages, yet is complex and powerful. Hughes' work received a fair bit of criticism from his contemporaries, perhaps because his work was so popular during his lifetime, and many questioned his decision to write about ordinary life and ordinary people in black America, including those of the lower class. Hughes was active in every aspect of the Harlem art scene, running a magazine, writing novels and poetry, and contributing to theater programs. The themes in Hughes poems are so applicable to today's political conversations that they could have easily been written yesterday rather than almost a hundred years ago. 

I, Too-- This short poem is bursting with emotion and statement. Hughes is a great poet to read at any time, but particularly in today's political climate.
Harlem-- I wrote on this poem in college and loved taking an in-depth look at all it had to offer. It has so many poetic elements that work together to bolster the impact of the theme. This poem is great to hear read aloud and must be read a couple of times.
Let America Be America Again--This poem is so relevant to the current American political climate surrounding a certain campaign slogan with a very similar message as the poem's title. Hughes challenges the idealistic nostalgia for the American past and shines a light on all those who were excluded from America's 'glory days.'

Claude McKay

1889-1948

Born in Jamaica, McKay was another central figure to the Harlem Renaissance. Many of McKay's poems focus on themes of racism and bigotry. Like Hughes, McKay was criticized by his choice to portray the lives of lower class African Americas, as some activists felt it hurt rather than helped their case for equality. Like Cullen, McKay's work fell out of popularity after his death, but has reemerged and found a new popularity. McKay's poems cover religion, race, Jamaica, and resistance. 

If We Must Die-- One of his more popular poems, McKay speaks of resistance, resilience, and retaliation. 

Harlem Shadows-- Beautiful imagery and a melancholy tone.
America-- This is a great poem about loving your country, while also wanting to change and improve its shortcomings.

Maya Angelou

1928-2014

Maya Angelou is my hero. She was such an amazing woman AND so talented. She literally did it all. She danced, sang, acted, wrote, inspired, and had every job under the sun. Her autobiographies are SO GOOD and I highly recommend you read them as well as her poetry. In addition to all of this, she was also an activist and active in the political spheres of both America and Africa. Her poetry is honest, beautiful, and empowering. Her poems often contains themes related to race as well as gender, and the best way to experience them is to hear her read them herself. 

Phenomenal Woman--This poem is so empowering and really captures the grace of Ms. Angelou.
And Still I Rise--This is one of my favorite poems of all times, and I have linked you to a version of Angelou reading it. I love her delivery of this poem as well as the sentiment behind it.
Caged Bird-- The imagery in this poem is similar to the title of Angelou's first memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. The beautiful imagery and juxtaposition in this poem build the themes of longing and hope. 
Kin-- This very emotional poem is dedicated to Angelou's beloved brother Bailey, who died as a young man. Angelou was very close to her brother, and the two had a beautiful relationship.

Gwendolyn Brooks

1917-2000

Brooks is one of the most popular and highly regarded poets of the twentieth century. She was the first black author to win the Pulitzer Prize, and received much recognition during her lifetime. Brooks wrote during the Civil Rights Movement in 1960s America, and many of her poems have a political undertone. Brooks left her publisher Harper Row in the 1970s in order to help publishing companies focused on publishing black authors by allowing them to publish her works. Brooks faced backlash for some of the political statements found in some of her poems, but she was undeterred by this. Brooks experimented with various forms of poetry and wrote a two volume autobiography.

We Real Cool--This is one of Brooks most anthologized and popular poems. This short poem is best heard aloud. Brooks often covered the life of 'everyday' people as Hughes did in his poetry.
The Bean Eaters--There's a lot going on in this simple little poem.
Riot-- This poem has so many emotions and so much human nature packed into it. There's anger and hypocrisy, violence and ignorance, and truth. 

Interesting Links:

Celebrating Black History @ The Poetry Foundation-- This page has poems, articles, essays, and podcasts to help you celebrate Black History Month. 

Modern American Poetry's Page on Countee Cullen-- Poetry analysis, essays, and more links. 

My Literary Look post on the Harlem Renaissance-- Find more information on this literary movement and more recommended authors to check out.  

History.com- Harlem Renaissance

Please leave me your favorite black poet or poem below! I'm always looking to expand my list of favorite poems.

Poetry Spotlight: Edna St. Vincent Millay

In my second year of college I took an Introduction to Poetry class and I fell in love with reading poetry. Before then, poetry was always a little intimidating and a medium that I didn't have much experience with. But after that class, I became addicted to reading poetry, and during the class I actually found myself thinking in and expressing myself in poetry- which I never would have guessed would happen in a million years. So, with this series I'm here to share some of my favorite poems in a way that I'm sure will turn out rambley and unorganized.

READ THE REST OF MY POETRY SPOTLIGHTS HERE

Today I'm here to bring you a long-promised post on one of my favorite poets of all time: Edna St. Vincent Millay. Her and Plath top my list of all-time favorite poets, and they share a lot of qualities, so if you like one, there's a good chance you will like the other. I discovered Millay in my sophomore year of college and have written many papers on her work since. Millay is a sassy and brilliant feminist poet who uses bite and humor in her works. 

Millay was very popular during her lifetime; she was the third woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in literature, (winning in 1923) and was known not only as a poet but as an activist as well.

Millay was born in 1892 and was only nineteen years old when she published one of her most well-known poems, "Renascence." Millay also wrote prose under the name Nancy Boyd, but was most known for her mastery of poetry, including her sonnets. Millay is a super interesting person, and someone I plan to do a lot of reading on in the future, but I'll just cover a few of her highlights here. Millay was openly bisexual. She was married to a man for twenty-six years, but both of them had multiple affairs during the marriage that the other was aware of. Her husband supported her writing career and took on a number of the domestic duties in their life. Millay lived a bohemian life in New York after college until her poem "Renascence" was entered into a contest in which it won fourth place. This caused quite the controversy, as Millay's poem was considered the best by all of the contestants that entered, and the second place winner even offered Millay his prize money. Millay became an activist in WWI and wrote poetry in support of the Allies. She was the second woman to receive the Frost Medal for her contributions to American poetry. She died at the age of fifty-eight as a result of a heart attack. For more about Millay, see the links I have included at the bottom of the post.

A Few of My Favorite Poems

click the poem title to read the poem

I, being born a woman and distressed

This is perhaps my favorite Millay poem, and one that I have written on in school. Millay is unapologetic when it comes to writing about romance and sex, which is very refreshing for a woman of her time. This poem is both witty and sassy and a perfect example of a sonnet. If you have ever attempted to write a sonnet, you know how difficult they are, and Millay does them perfectly, and often turns the love sonnet on its head, as she does with this one. 

Recuerdo 

This poem is often read in literature classes and captures a bohemian spirit. My outlook on this poem really changed when I heard Millay read it out loud (listen here.) That's when the poem really grew on me and the rhythm was hard to get out of my head. 

Witch Wife

This was the first poem of Millay's that I fell in love with. This short poem is so whimsical; I highly recommend you read this one for yourself. 

Renascence

This is the poem mentioned above that put Millay on the map. This longer poem deals with complicated themes in the same vain as Whitman. The speaker has an enlightened moment and becomes one with everything. 

Her Sonnets 

Millay wrote a number of sonnets, and she is well-known for her mastery of the difficult form. Many of her sonnets are written from the female perspective and disrupt the typical romantic themes of a sonnet. Here are a few to check out: 

Hearing your words and not a word among them

I shall forget you presently my dear

Time does not bring relief 

I will put Chaos into fourteen lines 

Hope you enjoy your exploration of Millay's work as much as I have!

Links for Further Information

Edna St. Vincent Millay Society

Wikipedia

Poetry Foundation

A Closer Look at "I will put Chaos into fourteen lines"

Poetry Spotlight: Wilfred Owen (Happy National Poetry Month)

In my second year of college I took an Introduction to Poetry class and I fell in love with reading poetry. Before then, poetry was always a little intimidating and a medium that I didn't have much experience with. But after that class, I became addicted to reading poetry, and during the class I actually found myself thinking in and expressing myself in poetry- which I never would have guessed would happen in a million years. So, with this series I'm here to share some of my favorite poems in a way that I'm sure will turn out rambley and unorganized.

SEE THE REST OF MY POETRY SPOTLIGHT SERIES HERE

There's a lot of stuff going on this month. It's the 100th anniversary of the U.S.'s entry into the first World War, and it's national poetry month. So as a lover of history and poetry, naturally, I have combined them into today's post about one of my all time favorite poets Wilfred Owen. The poems I will be talking about today come out of Penguin's Little Black Classic collection of his works, which I highly recommend. This edition has all of the essential Owen's poems, in a small and affordable package.

Author Bio

What makes Owen such a remarkable poet and recorder of history is the fact that he served and died in WWI. Up until WWI, many of the poetic recordings regarding wars in America, the Civil War is a great example of this, were recorded by poets who were not fighting the wars and were only outside observers. During WWI, we see a shift in the attitudes regarding war in art. In the Civil War, for example, poetry highlights the honor, righteousness, and even beauty associated with war and defending one's country, but in WWI, the poetry highlights the horrors of war and even suggests it's lack of purpose. This has everything to do with the advanced technology of war that debuted in WWI including machine guns, trench warfare, mustard gas, and fighter planes. The death toll for this war was unlike anything the world had ever seen, and it left a whole generation of men missing, or "lost" as Gertrude Stein phrased it (hence the literary movement named The Lost Generation). Young men lined up to join the war, eager to earn the honor and respect that the older generations associated with war, but many felt that nothing had been gained from the conflict and all of the bloodshed was for naught after the war's conclusion. There was no clear winner or loser. This is also the first time we as a society come to recognize and try to treat PTSD or shell-shock as it was referred to.

Owen was from England, and wrote all of his poems in the just-over-a-year that he served in the British army before being killed in action at the age of twenty-five, one week before the Armistice. Owen met Siegfried Sassoon, another well-known and excellent WWI poet, in an army hospital while being treated for shell-shock, and the two became friends. Sassoon was responsible for publishing much of Owen's works after his death. 

You can read more about Owen at the Poetry Foundation. 

  

Spotlighted Poems 

Like I mentioned above, WWI poetry was revolutionary for the way it talked about war. In many poems, the divide between generations regarding the purpose of war and the honor associated with participating in it is visible. Poetry of this era is honest and brutal and even bitter and sarcastic. Owen is one of the best poets to come out of WWI, and his poems are breathtaking and so poignant. Many of these poems left me speechless after reading them for the first time. 

Poem titles link to poems 

Dulce et Decorum Est- If you read one poem from this post today, make it this one. This poem left me absolutely speechless after I translated the last line of the poem from Latin (It is sweet and proper to die for one's country.) If you have taken a literature course, you have probably read this poem, and rightfully so. This poem forces the reader to face the horrors of the trenches as a solider would, while also applying traditional poetic techniques such as rhyme and alliteration, causing quite the contrast. This poem has that bitter and sarcastic punch ending that many war poems have and also highlights the shifting attitudes towards war. 

Bonus: Hear it read by Christopher Eccleston here.

Anthem for Doomed Youth- This is another poem that illustrates the shifting attitude towards war by the young generation that is currently facing it. The "Doomed Youth" of this poem is of course the generation of soldiers fighting in the war. Again, Owen paints a clear and horrifying picture of life at war with traditional poetic devices. 

Bonus: Here it read by Sean Bean here.

The Parable Of the Old Man and the Young- This poem alludes to the biblical story of Abraham and his son Isaac, who God asks Abraham to sacrifice in order to prove his devotion. Owen uses this story to create a parallel between Isaac and the soldiers. Once again, we see the shift in thinking from the older generation to the younger. 

The Chances- This poem is interesting because it deals with all of the chances a man takes when he signs up to be a solider. Owen lists all of the bad things that can happen, including going "mad." This is an early poem to deal with the psychological and physical affects of war, and Owen does it in a very powerful way. 

As usual, leave me your favorite poems or poets below! 

Poetry Spotlight: Spoken Word/Slam Poetry

In my second year of college I took an Introduction to Poetry class and I fell in love with reading poetry. Before then, poetry was always a little intimidating and a medium that I didn't have much experience with. But after that class, I became addicted to reading poetry, and during the class I actually found myself thinking in and expressing myself in poetry- which I never would have guessed would happen in a million years. So, with this series I'm here to share some of my favorite poems in a way that I'm sure will turn out rambley and unorganized.

See the Rest of the Poetry Spotlight Posts Here

I discovered the world of Youtube slam poetry by accident and haven't looked back since. I love seeing slam poets read existing poems as well as their own and here I've rounded up some of my favorite slam poetry performances for those wishing to dip their toes into the world of slam poetry. If you have a favorite slam poetry or poetry performance, I would love to hear about it!

One of my favorite elements of slam is the strong feminist themes that are a part of many of the poems. Many of these poems have feminist themes but because they are modern and the poets are so young, the perspective on feminism is so modern and relevant (not that feminism is ever not relevant but you know what I mean.) I love that spoken poetry is a place for young women's voices to be heard in such an honest and uncensored way.

If you want to enter the world of slam/spoken word poetry, the first name you need to know is Rhiannon McGavin. She is the current teen-poet laureate of Los Angles (which is a position I didn't even know existed) and is one of the better known slam poets. She has a Youtube channel and you can see her perform there as well as on other slam channels. Some of my favorite of her works include:

This poem she did with drawtheline.org for reproduction rights

This is the video I was introduced to Rhiannon through. Her she recites a poem by Charles Bukowski and then her original poem written in response.

The last one I will link is this one titled "Hereditary."

This is the accidentally discovered video that got me into slam. It's Alyssa Paul performing one of my all-time favorite poems by Plath "Daddy" and then her original response poem. This Plath poem really comes alive when it is read aloud and she does a great job.

Some of my favorite poems with feminist themes include:
"The Rape Poem to End All Rape Poems" (mature language in this one)
Kait Rokowski's "How to Cure a Feminist" (language again)
Karina Stow's "Trigger Warning"

So there's a list of my current favorite slam poems. I would love to update this list in this future when I have more to add, and I would also love for you to leave recommendations of your favorites!

Poetry Spotlight (8): Walt Whitman

In my second year of college I took an Introduction to Poetry class and I fell in love with reading poetry. Before then, poetry was always a little intimidating and a medium that I didn't have much experience with. But after that class, I became addicted to reading poetry, and during the class I actually found myself thinking in and expressing myself in poetry- which I never would have guessed would happen in a million years. So, with this series I'm here to share some of my favorite poems in a way that I'm sure will turn out rambley and unorganized.

See my collection of other Poetry Spotlight posts here

Today I'm going to be talking about the brilliant but intimidating Walt Whitman. I have read a few of his quite extensive list of works and really loved what I have read. His longer and most famous works are intimidating and I believe humanly impossible to completely comprehend at a literal level and a literary level, but they are a great reading experiences. So first a quick bio. on Whitman, then a look at a few shorter poems and the two longest poems.

Whitman is a very interesting man that was years before his time. He was born in 1819 and died in 1892, is often considered the father of free verse, and is one of the most influential people in the American literature canon. He was a humanist (someone who places a high value on human beings both individually and collectively and prefers critical thinking and evidence to superstitions or faiths) and served as a transitional writer between the Transcendentalists and Realists. His works were very controversial upon publication particularly because of their sexual nature. What's interesting about the sexuality of Whitman's works is that they defy gender expectations, norms, and heterosexuality norms which is very impression for a white man writing in the mid 1800s. Whitman was a volunteer nurse during the American Civil War and wrote many poems, prose, and letters about the war. 

Whitman also wrote in free verse, and although he was not the first to do so, he was the first to popularize the form and gain critical and public recognition for his works in free verse. Whitman believed in a symbiotic relationship between the poet and the reader, and discussed sex and sexuality openly in his works. It is commonly accepted by biographers and literary critics that Whitman was either homosexual or bisexual in orientation, but there is no proof that he had physical relations with any men, only speculation. Interestingly, Whitman never discussed his own sexuality even though his poems were full of sexual imagery.    

Here are Whitman's most famous works, and a few of my favorites. I have not read all of Leaves of Grass, but I included some information on it because it is so crucial. As always, I have linked you to the poems whenever possible through the poem titles. 

Leaves of Grass:

Leaves of Grass is a novel length  collection of poems in free verse that Whitman published with his own money in 1855 and edited and revised until his death. Numerous editions of this work exist because he was revising and re-releasing so often. The first edition contained twelve poems and the last collection released before Whitman's death contained four hundred poems. If you have read John Green's Paper Towns, then you will be familiar with lines from this collection as Margo is a big fan of Whitman. 

Each of the poems are slightly connected by themes of nature and the celebration of humanity. The collection expresses Whitman's philosophies on life. In this collection you can see the Transcendentalist ideas that inspired Whitman as he celebrates nature and humanity's connection to and role in nature. This collection of course also contains those controversial sensual themes and images that I mentioned earlier and celebrates the human body, mind, and spirit. 

This collection contains many of Whitman's popular poems including "I Sing the Body Electric," his eulogy to President Lincoln titled, "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd" and "Song of Myself" which I will speak more about below.  

Song of Myself:

Keep in mind that are multiple versions of this poem because of Whitman's many revisions. 

"Song of Myself" is a fifty two stanza poem that would take a lifetime to fully comprehend and analyze and I don't think it is meant to be fully comprehended. This poems presents images of man and nature, man and woman, and man and man in connection with one another. I would use the adjective psychedelic to describe this poem even though that concept would not become popular for over a century from the date of this poem's first publication. The poem is spiritual and something you have to experience for yourself. It is theorized that Whitman had some fancy out-of-body experience/epiphany with a specific name that I can't remember before he wrote this poem, and I would totally believe that.     

Now for two individual and short poems by Whitman that I love. 

A Noiseless Patient Spider:

For me this poem represents just what I love about great poetry. I first read this poem as a sophomore in college in my poetry class. I read it and went "Huh, okay, well don't really get that one" and moved on. I came across it a year or so later in another class and thought it was absolutely brilliant upon rereading. Poetry really is a personal and new experience each time you encounter it. 

I love the extended metaphor Whitman creates between the spider on an island and a lonely soul. The images in the last stanza of the soul throwing its webs until it catches hold on something are very poetic and yet accurate.  

When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer

I love this poem for its comments on education and learning. The difference between learning about stars in the classroom and looking up while outside and seeing the actual stars is very vast. As a future educator, this poem means a lot to me and it is something I try to keep in mind in regards to plans for my classroom and myself as well as a student.

See my Poetry Spotlight on War Poetry for an example of Whitman's Civil War poetry here.

Any poetry suggestions for me? What should my next Poetry Spotlight feature?

Poetry Spotlight: Anne Bradstreet-- Classics Club Women's Literature

In my second year of college I took an Introduction to Poetry class and I fell in love with reading poetry. Before then, poetry was always a little intimidating and a medium that I didn't have much experience with. But after that class, I became addicted to reading poetry, and during the class I actually found myself thinking in and expressing myself in poetry- which I never would have guessed would happen in a million years. So, with this series I'm here to share some of my favorite poems in a way that I'm sure will turn out rambley and unorganized.

See my previous Poetry Spotlight posts HERE

Today, I'm spotlighting Anne Bradstreet, an early Colonial- American poet. 

Anne Bradstreet was born into a prominent Puritan family in 1612, which migrated from England to Massachusetts Bay in 1630. Her father would become governor of the colony, and years later her husband Simon Bradstreet and her brother Joseph would become governor as well. Anne was given the typical education of an aristocratic family, and was educated in the bible, literature, and languages. She was eighteen and two years married when she came to the colonies. She and her husband enjoyed a loving marriage and had eight children. Simon Bradstreet recognized and encouraged his wife's talents, and she wrote poetry that was published for the elite classes in the colonies and England. 

Bradstreet's poetry was published with slight political intentions by her brother-in-law to promote the necessity of continuing the Massachusetts colonies with the intentions of converting Native Americans. The poetry that was published publicly was religious and prestigious, but Bradstreet is now known for her private poetry that was not published during her lifetime and was addressed to her friends and family, particularly her husband. 

Bradstreet is often referred to as and considered to be the first American poet, and was very well-known and praised for her poetry during her lifetime.  

Poems 

Click the poem title to read it

The Author to Her Book: Perhaps Bradstreet's most well-known and anthologized poem, this poem discusses the love and frustration between an author and their creation. The metaphor of the book as a child works really well in this poem, and the idea of seeing all the flaws in something you have finished or turned over for public view is extremely realtable.  

Upon the Burning of Our House July 10th, 1666: The religious themes and influence is very clear in this poem. The poem presents the idea of the needlessness of earthly possessions and homes, because the speaker feels their real home will be in Heaven with God after they have died. It's quite a beautifully written poem, with a hint of emotion.  

Before the Birth of One of Her Children: This poem is Bradstreet's musings on death and a message to her loved ones if she should die during the birth of one of her children. Bradstreet's worries are very clear in this poem, and to see worries of death converted into art is quite a lovely thing.

To My Dear and Loving Husband: This poem is quite romantic and personal, and something that would have only been published after Bradstreet's death. It's a great example of a poem about devoted love, and quite lovely to read. 

Who are some of your favorite poets or poems? I'm also eager to discover new favorites. 

You can see the rest of my posts for the Classics Club Women's Literature Event HERE!    

   

Poetry Spotlight (6): Emily Dickinson

In my second year of college I took an Introduction to Poetry class and I fell in love with reading poetry. Before then, poetry was always a little intimidating and a medium that I didn't have much experience with. But after that class, I became addicted to reading poetry, and during the class I actually found myself thinking in and expressing myself in poetry- which I never would have guessed would happen in a million years. So, with this series I'm here to share some of my favorite poems in a way that I'm sure will turn out rambley and unorganized.

Previous Poetry Spotlights can be found here

About Emily Dickinson:

Dickinson has become some-what of a literary legend. She is often thought of as the mysterious shut-in who wore all white as she spent her life writing poetry in secret. Her life has become almost as large as her poetry, and many people are fascinated by the poet herself, as well as her poetry. 

Dickinson was born in Massachusetts to a well-off family. She was known as a recluse, and most of her friendships took place over letters; she never married. Only about a dozen of her poems were published during her life-time, and they were altered significantly by publishers. Dickinson's younger sister discovered the vast amount of poems Dickinson had written after her death in 1886.

Dickinson attended Amherst Academy for seven years and spent a short time at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family home as a young woman. While studying, Emily's closest cousin died of typhus, and her death traumatized Dickinson and started a strong fascination with death for Dickinson, which can be seen in her poetry. After she returned home from school, her mother became chronically ill. Someone was required to stay with her mother at all times, and eventually Dickinson took over this job full-time from her siblings, and this was the start of her reclusive reputation. Although Dickinson never married, or had any recorded romantic relationships, three letters exist (offered referred to as "The Master letters," in which Dickinson refers to an unknown male as "Master." These letters have been the fuel to many investigations on Dickinson's personal life. 

Around the year 1867, and after the death of her dog, Dickinson hardly ever left the house. She corresponded mainly through letters, and it is even reported that she talked to guests that came to her house through the door. When she was seen, she was often wearing white, hence her reputation as a recluse in white. The only remaining article of clothing of hers is a white cotton dress, further fueling this image of the poet. 

Dickinson's dress in the Emily Dickinson Museum

in Amherst Massachusetts  

        

How to Recognize a Dickinson Poem: 

Is it about death? Is the capitalization wonky? Is the poem filled with dashes? 

If the answer to at least two out of three of those questions is yes, then you are probably reading a Dickinson poem. Dickinson wrote on the subject of death quite often- which has helped contribute to her reputation as a literary legend and mystery. She also used religious imagery in her poems quite often, and the rhythm of some of her poems can be matched to the rhythm of popular hymns. She wrote on other subjects too of course, but her poems on death are some of her most profound and thought provoking. I have also noticed that sea imaginary is common in Dickinson's works, and she uses it quite effectively.  

Dickinson's form is extremely unique and recognizable. She capitalizes her nouns and uses dashes to punctuate her poems. Her poems are also untitled, so they are referred to by their first line.    

Poems I Wish to Spotlight: 

Click on the poem to read it

They probably made you read this in school:

"Hope" is the thing with feathers--  This poem is perhaps Dickinson's most well known poem, which is odd because it is not a typical Dickinson poem. This one is often in greeting cards and books of inspirational poems, but the subject matter is atypical for Dickinson. 

A Bird came down the Walk--  This poem (and the one below) are often taught in classrooms because they contain examples of many different elements of poetry. They are not my favorite Dickinson poems, but they are great examples of how Dickinson would play with sound devices in her poems. 

A narrow fellow in the grass--  See above commentary. 

Because I could not stop for Death-- Try reading this one to the tune of an old hymn. I can't for the life of me find someone doing this, but someone in my class sung it to the tune of an old hymn (I can't remember which one) and it was the one of the coolest things I have ever experienced in a literature class. 

While there is nothing "wrong" with the above mentioned poems, they are not (in my opinion) Dickson's best or most relatable works (perhaps with the exception of the last one). Some of her works are so thought provoking and flooring, and it is a shame that those are not the poems that get shared most often. Below I have made a list of a few of my favorite Dickinson's poems that will leave an impression on you, and may even turn you into a Dickinson fan if you are not already one. 

You may have never read these ones (but you should):

I felt a Funeral in my brain-- This is very high up on my list of favorite Dickinson's. I love the thoughts Dickinson has on an epiphany and how amazing and life-altering a change of mind can be. I love the funeral imagery.

I heard a Fly buzz when I died-- This is one of Dickinson's better known poems on death, and the less-than-glamorous realities of the end of a life.  

I started Early- Took my Dog- This is perhaps my favorite Dickinson poem, as I can not get enough of the imagery. The first time I read this poem, the image of "the Mermaids in the Basement" stuck in my brain, and I still cannot dislodge it (not that I want to though).   

Wild nights- Wild nights!--  One of Dickinson's more romantic poems, which again features sea imagery. This poem often puzzles people when read along-side Dickinson's biography, as she wrote poems about love, death, and other large topics that she did not have much experience with herself (that we know of anyway).  

After great pain, a formal feeling comes- This is a really beautiful and honest poem on grief and healing. 

He fumbles at your Soul-- This poem interests me because I am not clear on its meaning. "He" can be interpreted in a number of different ways, and I'm not sure who "He" is yet- God, a lover, the patriarch? What do you think? 

One need not be a Chamber to be Haunted- This poem touches on the complicated nature of the mind, and how the anxieties and "ghosts" that live inside your mind can be more frightening than any real life horror could be.   

Great Resources: 

The Poetry Foundation

John Green's Crash Course on Emily Dickinson

This Blog aims to read and comment on all 1789 poems by Emily Dickinson. 

The Emily Dickinson Museum Website

If you enjoy Dickinson's darker themes and thoughts on grief and death, you may also enjoy the works of Emily Bronte. You can read my poetry spotlight on her here.

So what do you think about "the woman in white"? What's your favorite poem of Dickinson's? 

Poetry Spotlight (5): Emily Bronte

In my second year of college I took an Introduction to Poetry class and I fell in love with reading poetry. Before then, poetry was always a little intimidating and a medium that I didn't have much experience with. But after that class, I became addicted to reading poetry, and during the class I actually found myself thinking in and expressing myself in poetry- which I never would have guessed would happen in a million years. So, with this series I'm here to share some of my favorite poems in a way that I'm sure will turn out rambley and unorganized.

Previous Poetry Spotlights:
Howl by Allen Ginsberg
The Wasteland by T.S. Elliot
Two War Poems
Ariel and Other Poems by Sylvia Plath

The poems I am going to talk about today are all from Penguin's Little Black Classic edition, which is a collection of some of Bronte's poems. I had not read any of her poetry so I was excited to see that penguin had this small collection of it. Of course this is just a small sampling of her poetry, but I did quite like what I read. 

If you are a fan of Edgar Allan Poe's or Emily Dickinson's poetry, than I think you will enjoy Bronte's poetry. All three poets have a very similar style and word choice, and tackle many similar themes. 

About Emily Bronte:

Emily was the third eldest of the Bronte siblings and is best known for her only novel, Wuthering Heights. Her two sisters, Anne and Charlotte, were also writers, and her brother, Bramwell was a painter. All three sisters wrote under pseudonyms, but choose names that preserved their original initials and their family connection. Emily wrote under Ellis Bell, Charlotte under Currer Bell, and Anne under Acton Bell. Emily's poetry was first published in a collection that contained poetry from her two sisters as well. 

(left to right) Anne, Emily and Charlotte

painted by their brother Bramwell who

painted himself out of the picture. He was

originally between Emily and Charlotte.

Not much is known about Emily Bronte's personality beyond her shy and reclusive nature. Her sister Charlotte wrote some biographical information on Emily after her death, but that is pretty much all we have. Bronte died a year after the publication of Wuthering Heights and three months after the death of her brother at the age of thirty. She had been showing signs of consumption for many weeks and refused to be seen by a doctor, therefore, she died in December of 1848. Her name would not appear with her novel until 1850.   

Emily Bronte portrait painted by 

her brother Bramwell 

Poems I Wish to Spotlight: 

This collection of poems highlighted Bronte's poems on death and the passage of time, so many of the poems are very similar thematically. I have picked a few of my favorites from the collection to share my thoughts on and to link you to. All of Bronte's poems have a similar rhythm and rhyme scheme (ABABAB), that is typical of this era in poetry.  

Poem tittles link to the poem itself. 

Remembrance- The speaker in this poem has lost a loved one, and is pondering death's affect on the strength of love. This poem is quite practical and non-dramatic in dealing with the death of a loved one as compared to Bronte's novel, and I was a little surprised (but pleasantly so) by the logical and slightly optimistic tone of the speaker. The speaker realizes that their, "Tears of useless passion" will not bring their loved one back, or help them move on with their own life, so the speaker checks them and refuses to give up their own life by joining their loved one in death. 

Song- This poem examines a pretty common question that Bronte raises in many of the poems in this collection: what happens to the living that are left behind by the dead? This poem also raises another question that is worth equal amounts of thought: What good does it do to mourn the dead when they are not aware of it? 

Honour's Martyr- This poem is one of the longer ones in this collection (though it is still relatively short as it is composed of sixteen quatrains.) This poem caught my attention because I was a little puzzled by the meaning and had to give it a few reads before I could see the full meaning. There is a lot going on in this poem, and it seems to be a little bit different from the other poems in this collection thematically. This poem speaks of following one's own heart even if it will hurt others, and has quite a bit of war imagery and language. 

The Night is Darkening Round Me- For some reason I can't find the version of this poem that is in my book, anywhere online. It just seems to be the first three verses, which is very frustrating. Let me know if you come across the full seven stanza version. The tittle poem in this collection is one of my favorites. This poem (like many others) has such a great Gothic atmosphere. This poem also caught my eye because of its lack of punctuation. The rhyme and rhythm are so smooth and the last line really delivers a punch. This poem puzzles me a little bit too, and each time I read it, the poem takes on a new meaning or an evolved meaning. 

Let me know your thoughts on the Brontes, poetry, or anything related below! 

Poetry Spotlight: Howl by Allen Ginsberg

In my second year of college I took an Introduction to Poetry class and I fell in love with reading poetry. Before then, poetry was always a little intimidating and a medium that I didn't have much experience with. But after that class, I became addicted to reading poetry, and during the class I actually found myself thinking in and expressing myself in poetry- which I never would have guessed would happen in a million years. So, with this series I'm here to share some of my favorite poems in a way that I'm sure will turn out rambley and unorganized.

Before reading about this poem, it may be helpful to read this short introduction to the Beatnik Literary movement I made in the form of my Literary Look: The Beatnik Movement post.

Howl by Allen Ginsberg is on of the most well known pieces of literature from the Beatnik movement which occurred in the late 1950's- 1960's in America. The poem became an anthem of sorts for the rebellious and fed-up youth. This poem was first published in 1956.

Read the Poem Here  Well just the first two parts of the poem since it's not in the public domain yet.
Listen to Ginsberg Read the Entire Poem Here

Some basic info on Ginsberg and his works:
Ginsberg is a"founding" member of the Beat generation. He met Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs at Columbia University. Ginsberg was always a trouble maker and was suspended from Columbia twice. Ginsberg had a very strong fear of the atomic bomb, which was a recurring idea in his works and he battled bouts of depression and mental illness. His best known works are his poems Howl, and Kaddish a poem in six parts which he wrote in the course of forty-eight hours under the influence of multiple drugs. Howl is also well known for the controversy that followed the poem's publication when it faced an obscenity trial, which only helped sell countless copies of the poem. Ginsberg is also well known for his activeness in the fight for equal rights for same-sex couples, as he himself was gay, and had possible sexual relations with many members of the Beatnik writers including Kerouac and Burroughs.

Thoughts on the poem: 

Howl is quite an angry and angsty poem. The first line of the poem, I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness... is quite well known and starts off the poem's powerful and disturbing imagery. The poem is dived into three parts and provides commentary on just about everything you can imagine. Throughout the poem Ginsberg has some very breathtakingly beautiful phrases, and his capitalization is interesting and something to look out for while reading. The poem is quite pessimistic and you can taste the anger, bitterness and resentment that Ginsberg is harboring. Part I of the poem contains some very interesting commentary on art and poetry specifically, and contains some very disturbing images of his friend Carol Solomon, to whom the poem is dedicated, in a mental institute. These two images together are very jarring and very interesting to read. 

Ginsberg deals with a lot of abstract and concrete concepts in this poem and he does it very beautifully. First he will present you with the image of a Drunken taxicab of Absolute Reality and then he presents you with the image of someone who Presented themselves on the granite steps of the madhouse with shaven heads and harlequin speech of suicide, demanding instantaneous lobotomy. This poem speaks on the wasted potential of his generation and the fine line between madness and genius.  

If you do give this poem a go, I recommend reading it a few times, well I recommend that with all poems actually but this one especially, so you can catch all of Ginsberg's beautiful and horrific images and see them contrast.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this poem if you have read it!