Emily Dickinson Poems

A collection of select Emily Dickinson famous poems that were written by Emily Dickinson or written about the poet by other famous poets. PoetrySoup is a comprehensive educational resource of the greatest poems and poets on history.

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Opinion is a flitting thing

by Emily Dickinson
 Opinion is a flitting thing,
But Truth, outlasts the Sun --
If then we cannot own them both --
Possess the oldest one --...Read more of this...

They shut me up in Prose --

by Emily Dickinson
 They shut me up in Prose --
As when a little Girl
They put me in the Closet --
Because they liked me "still" --

Still! Could themself have peeped --
And seen my Brain -- go round --
They might as wise have lodged a Bird
For Treason -- in the Pound --

Himself has but to will
And easy as a Star
Abolish his Captivity --
And laugh...Read more of this...

I should not dare to leave my friend

by Emily Dickinson
 I should not dare to leave my friend,
Because -- because if he should die
While I was gone -- and I -- too late --
Should reach the Heart that wanted me --

If I should disappoint the eyes
That hunted -- hunted so -- to see --
And could not bear to shut until
They "noticed" me -- they noticed me --

If I should...Read more of this...

The Hills in Purple syllables

by Emily Dickinson
 The Hills in Purple syllables
The Day's Adventures tell
To little Groups of Continents
Just going Home from School....Read more of this...

The Judge is like the Owl --

by Emily Dickinson
 The Judge is like the Owl --
I've heard my Father tell --
And Owls do build in Oaks --
So here's an Amber Sill --

That slanted in my Path --
When going to the Barn --
And if it serve You for a House --
Itself is not in vain --

About the price -- 'tis small --
I only ask a Tune
At Midnight -- Let...Read more of this...

Purple -- is fashionable twice --

by Emily Dickinson
 Purple -- is fashionable twice --
This season of the year,
And when a soul perceives itself
To be an Emperor....Read more of this...

Within that little Hive

by Emily Dickinson
 Within that little Hive
Such Hints of Honey lay
As made Reality a Dream
And Dreams, Reality --...Read more of this...

For each ecstatic instant

by Emily Dickinson
For each ecstatic instant
We must an anguish pay
In keen and quivering ratio
To the ecstasy.

For each beloved hour
Sharp pittances of years,
Bitter contested farthings
And coffers heaped with tears....Read more of this...

When I hoped I recollect

by Emily Dickinson
 When I hoped, I recollect
Just the place I stood --
At a Window facing West --
Roughest Air -- was good --

Not a Sleet could bite me --
Not a frost could cool --
Hope it was that kept me warm --
Not Merino shawl --

When I feared -- I recollect
Just the Day it was --
Worlds were lying out to Sun --
Yet how Nature...Read more of this...

Tie the Strings to my Life My Lord

by Emily Dickinson
 Tie the Strings to my Life, My Lord,
Then, I am ready to go!
Just a look at the Horses --
Rapid! That will do!

Put me in on the firmest side --
So I shall never fall --
For we must ride to the Judgment --
And it's partly, down Hill --

But never I mind the steeper --
And never I mind the Sea --
Held fast...Read more of this...

Elysium is as far as to

by Emily Dickinson
 Elysium is as far as to
The very nearest Room
If in that Room a Friend await
Felicity or Doom --

What fortitude the Soul contains,
That it can so endure
The accent of a coming Foot --
The opening of a Door --...Read more of this...

I fear a Man of frugal Speech --

by Emily Dickinson
 I fear a Man of frugal Speech --
I fear a Silent Man --
Haranguer -- I can overtake --
Or Babbler -- entertain --

But He who weigheth -- While the Rest --
Expend their furthest pound --
Of this Man -- I am wary --
I fear that He is Grand --...Read more of this...

If those I loved were lost

by Emily Dickinson
 If those I loved were lost
The Crier's voice would tell me --
If those I loved were found
The bells of Ghent would ring --

Did those I loved repose
The Daisy would impel me.
Philip -- when bewildered
Bore his riddle in!...Read more of this...

Oh Shadow on the Grass

by Emily Dickinson
 Oh Shadow on the Grass,
Art thou a Step or not?
Go make thee fair my Candidate
My nominated Heart --
Oh Shadow on the Grass
While I delay to guess
Some other thou wilt consecrate --
Oh Unelected Face --...Read more of this...

With thee in the Desert

by Emily Dickinson
 With thee, in the Desert --
With thee in the thirst --
With thee in the Tamarind wood --
Leopard breathes -- at last!...Read more of this...

Youll find -- it when you try to die --

by Emily Dickinson
 You'll find -- it when you try to die --
The Easier to let go --
For recollecting such as went --
You could not spare -- you know.

And though their places somewhat filled --
As did their Marble names
With Moss -- they never grew so full --
You chose the newer names --

And when this World -- sets further back --
As Dying --...Read more of this...

With Pinions of Disdain

by Emily Dickinson
 With Pinions of Disdain
The soul can farther fly
Than any feather specified
in Ornithology --
It wafts this sordid Flesh
Beyond its dull -- control
And during its electric gale --
The body is a soul --
instructing by the same --
How little work it be --
To put off filaments like this
for immortality...Read more of this...

To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee

by Emily Dickinson
 To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,
One clover, and a bee,
And revery.
The revery alone will do,
If bees are few....Read more of this...

A Thought went up my mind today --

by Emily Dickinson
 A Thought went up my mind today --
That I have had before --
But did not finish -- some way back --
I could not fix the Year --

Nor where it went -- nor why it came
The second time to me --
Nor definitely, what it was --
Have I the Art to say --

But somewhere -- in my Soul -- I know...Read more of this...

Through the strait pass of suffering --

by Emily Dickinson
 Through the strait pass of suffering --
The Martyrs -- even -- trod.
Their feet -- upon Temptations --
Their faces -- upon God --

A stately -- shriven -- Company --
Convulsion -- playing round --
Harmless -- as streaks of Meteor --
Upon a Planet's Bond --

Their faith -- the everlasting troth --
Their Expectation -- fair --
The Needle -- to the North Degree --
Wades...Read more of this...

Declaiming Waters none may dread --

by Emily Dickinson
 Declaiming Waters none may dread --
But Waters that are still
Are so for that most fatal cause
In Nature -- they are full --...Read more of this...

The Wind took up the Northern Things

by Emily Dickinson
 The Wind took up the Northern Things
And piled them in the south --
Then gave the East unto the West
And opening his mouth

The four Divisions of the Earth
Did make as to devour
While everything to corners slunk
Behind the awful power --

The Wind -- unto his Chambers went
And nature ventured out --
Her subjects scattered into place
Her systems ranged about

Again the smoke from...Read more of this...

A little Snow was here and there

by Emily Dickinson
 A little Snow was here and there
Disseminated in her Hair --
Since she and I had met and played
Decade had gathered to Decade --

But Time had added not obtained
Impregnable the Rose
For summer too indelible
Too obdurate for Snows --...Read more of this...

I never lost as much but twice

by Emily Dickinson
 I never lost as much but twice,
And that was in the sod.
Twice have I stood a beggar
Before the door of God!

Angels -- twice descending
Reimbursed my store --
Burglar! Banker -- Father!
I am poor once more!...Read more of this...

The Mountain sat upon the Plain

by Emily Dickinson
 The Mountain sat upon the Plain
In his tremendous Chair --
His observation omnifold,
His inquest, everywhere --

The Seasons played around his knees
Like Children round a sire --
Grandfather of the Days is He
Of Dawn, the Ancestor --...Read more of this...

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