I recently bought a book of poems by Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886), and I have found her writing rather addictive.  It is a unique style that takes a while to get used to, but once you get into it, it’s hard to stop reading.  Here are two of her poems that I would like to share with you.  They are interesting, and I welcome your opinions on them.

1.

Success is counted sweetest

By those who ne’er succeed.

To comprehend a nectar

Requires sorest need.

Not one of all the purple host

Who took the flag today

Can tell the definition,

So clear, of victory,

As he, defeated, dying,

On whose forbidden ear

The distant strains of triumph

Break, agonized and clear.

2.

Delight becomes pictorial

When viewed through pain, -

More fair, because impossible

That any gain.

The mountain at a given distance

In amber lies;

Approached, the amber flits a little, -

And that’s the skies!

For any of you who are interested in more of her work, I must warn you that some of her poems are not entirely Christian in their point of view.  Although her father was a strict Christian, she began to rebel against that when she was a teenager and formed some different views about God that aren’t really true. 

It is interesting because, although she is now famous for her poetry today, she only had seven of her poems published during her lifetime.  She never published more because she was told that since her writing style was so unusual, it would be futile to try to publish more.  Yet it was the fact that her poems were so unique that made her so famous after her death.  Many later poets copied her writing style.