The title of the bio I am reading is My Wars Are Laid Away in Books: The Life of Emily Dickinson, by Alfred Habegger.
Here are some of her poems, from this bio, that I especially love.
First, though, is one I learned many years ago:
He ate and drank the precious Words-
His spirit grew robust-
He knew no more that he was poor,
Nor that his fram was Dust-
He danced along the dingy Days
And this Bequest of Wings
Was but a Book-What Liberty
A loosened Spirit brings-
How about this one:
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
Look down upon Captivity-
And laugh-No more have I-
One so simple and so profound:
Our lives are Swiss-
So stil-so cool-
Til some odd afternoon
The Alps neglect their curtains
And we look further on.
Italy stands the other side.
while like a guard between-
The solemn Alps-
The siren Alps
Forever intervene-
About death:
Adrift! A little boat adrift!
And night is coming down!
Will no one guide a little boat
Unto the nearest town?
So sailors say-on yesterday-
Just as the dusk was brown
One little boat gave up its strife
And gurgled down and down.
So angels say-on yesterday-
Just as the dawn was red
One little boat-o'erspent with gales-
Retrimmed its masts-redecked its sails-
And shot-exultant on!
RTF!
Here are some of her poems, from this bio, that I especially love.
First, though, is one I learned many years ago:
He ate and drank the precious Words-
His spirit grew robust-
He knew no more that he was poor,
Nor that his fram was Dust-
He danced along the dingy Days
And this Bequest of Wings
Was but a Book-What Liberty
A loosened Spirit brings-
How about this one:
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
Look down upon Captivity-
And laugh-No more have I-
One so simple and so profound:
Our lives are Swiss-
So stil-so cool-
Til some odd afternoon
The Alps neglect their curtains
And we look further on.
Italy stands the other side.
while like a guard between-
The solemn Alps-
The siren Alps
Forever intervene-
About death:
Adrift! A little boat adrift!
And night is coming down!
Will no one guide a little boat
Unto the nearest town?
So sailors say-on yesterday-
Just as the dusk was brown
One little boat gave up its strife
And gurgled down and down.
So angels say-on yesterday-
Just as the dawn was red
One little boat-o'erspent with gales-
Retrimmed its masts-redecked its sails-
And shot-exultant on!
RTF!
