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Love Poems
Love Poems
61 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1961
6 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
Emily Dickinson
1,556 books6,844 followersEmily Dickinson was an American poet who, despite the fact that less than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime, is widely considered one of the most original and influential poets of the 19th century.
Dickinson was born to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After she studied at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she spent a short time at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Thought of as an eccentric by the locals, she became known for her penchant for white clothing and her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, even leave her room. Most of her friendships were therefore carried out by correspondence.
Although Dickinson was a prolific private poet, fewer than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime.The work that was published during her lifetime was usually altered significantly by the publishers to fit the conventional poetic rules of the time. Dickinson's poems are unique for the era in which she wrote; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation.Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends.
Although most of her acquaintances were probably aware of Dickinson's writing, it was not until after her death in 1886—when Lavinia, Emily's younger sister, discovered her cache of poems—that the breadth of Dickinson's work became apparent. Her first collection of poetry was published in 1890 by personal acquaintances Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Mabel Loomis Todd, both of whom heavily edited the content.
A complete and mostly unaltered collection of her poetry became available for the first time in 1955 when The Poems of Emily Dickinson was published by scholar Thomas H. Johnson. Despite unfavorable reviews and skepticism of her literary prowess during the late 19th and early 20th century, critics now consider Dickinson to be a major American poet.
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/emily-di...
Dickinson was born to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After she studied at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she spent a short time at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Thought of as an eccentric by the locals, she became known for her penchant for white clothing and her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, even leave her room. Most of her friendships were therefore carried out by correspondence.
Although Dickinson was a prolific private poet, fewer than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime.The work that was published during her lifetime was usually altered significantly by the publishers to fit the conventional poetic rules of the time. Dickinson's poems are unique for the era in which she wrote; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation.Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends.
Although most of her acquaintances were probably aware of Dickinson's writing, it was not until after her death in 1886—when Lavinia, Emily's younger sister, discovered her cache of poems—that the breadth of Dickinson's work became apparent. Her first collection of poetry was published in 1890 by personal acquaintances Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Mabel Loomis Todd, both of whom heavily edited the content.
A complete and mostly unaltered collection of her poetry became available for the first time in 1955 when The Poems of Emily Dickinson was published by scholar Thomas H. Johnson. Despite unfavorable reviews and skepticism of her literary prowess during the late 19th and early 20th century, critics now consider Dickinson to be a major American poet.
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/emily-di...
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 6, 2020
More expanding my horizons. I think until I picked this small collection at my local used bookstore, I'd read maybe three or four of Dickinson's poems, all during junior high or high school. I knew of her work, certainly, but barely touched it otherwise.
As with many things, there's a degree of personal preference in my rating - Emily is absolutely worth reading; you should go do that right now. Amazon has a couple volumes for FREE on Kindle. Beware you'll likely need a dictionary because her meaning of some words isn't what they mean now.
I had to take time with each poem, because rarely do her poems have one layer. A little piece would make sense but the rest would not, and then I'd read it a couple more times, maybe look up a word's definition to make sure I had it right, read it again. A few times I sat and visualized the metaphor she chose, wondering what could possibly tie to the rest of the poem and ah, suddenly I understood another little part of it. And then read the whole thing again.
Other poems were easier, and my meditation on them went quite fast. Others still elude my full comprehension. That's okay. Poetry doesn't have to be understood quickly. That's its charm. All other forms of literature are meant to be digested fairly straightforward; poetry is the most human-like of all the literary forms because it's complex, complicated, confusing, and very rarely matches your first impression.
Sidebar: Poetry is even better when you have a great dramatic reader performing it. *love!
Overall, I like this little book, because included in it are many poems that I felt reflect my own heart, even if I wouldn't have put it just the way she did. So I'm going to keep it.
Support your local library and local used bookstore!
As with many things, there's a degree of personal preference in my rating - Emily is absolutely worth reading; you should go do that right now. Amazon has a couple volumes for FREE on Kindle. Beware you'll likely need a dictionary because her meaning of some words isn't what they mean now.
I had to take time with each poem, because rarely do her poems have one layer. A little piece would make sense but the rest would not, and then I'd read it a couple more times, maybe look up a word's definition to make sure I had it right, read it again. A few times I sat and visualized the metaphor she chose, wondering what could possibly tie to the rest of the poem and ah, suddenly I understood another little part of it. And then read the whole thing again.
Other poems were easier, and my meditation on them went quite fast. Others still elude my full comprehension. That's okay. Poetry doesn't have to be understood quickly. That's its charm. All other forms of literature are meant to be digested fairly straightforward; poetry is the most human-like of all the literary forms because it's complex, complicated, confusing, and very rarely matches your first impression.
Sidebar: Poetry is even better when you have a great dramatic reader performing it. *love!
Overall, I like this little book, because included in it are many poems that I felt reflect my own heart, even if I wouldn't have put it just the way she did. So I'm going to keep it.
Support your local library and local used bookstore!
July 30, 2018
I had no idea! Read a few to several pages each day until finished and thoroughly enjoyed it. I also learned a lot. I was looking up words left and right. It was worth it. Thank goodness there are many analyses of Dickinson’s poems online. By reading her work in the historical context of society at that time, I grew in understanding. Soon I will delve into her complete works.
December 30, 2020
Listen, I’m trying to get to 165 books before the end of the year (in a day) and this was the shortest book on my shelf. Emily Dickinson is just flat out not for me, but 60-something pages was for me. This served its purpose, and I did not enjoy it one bit.
April 15, 2019
Happy national poetry month! Poetry isn't my thing! :)
May 1, 2024
2.5/5
Apolavmanw tin poihsh tis Dickinson apla h sigkekrimeni ekdosi eixe liga poihmata agaphs
Apolavmanw tin poihsh tis Dickinson apla h sigkekrimeni ekdosi eixe liga poihmata agaphs
February 19, 2016
Angeregt durch eine Filmbiografie über Dickinson, die ich gerade bei der Berlinale gesehen habe (https://www.goodreads.com/story/show/...), habe ich diesem kleinen Bändchen nicht widerstehen könne, als es mir preisreduziert über den Weg lief. Nicht nur nach dem Film, sondern auch nach einigen Internetrecherchen, hätte ich etwas frecheres, moderneres, ausdrucksstärkeres erwartet. Damit tue ich den Gedichten vermutlich unrecht, denn ich habe sie in der Wartezeit auf einen weiteren Film, in einem sich langsam füllenden Kinosaal gelesen. Sicher nicht das beste Ambiente für Lyrik.
April 17, 2023
I love Emily Dickinson
November 22, 2023
Honestly this was a cheap find at a booksale and I haven't read much Emily Dickinson. These were sweet and at times more in depth but I feel others have probably made better collections.
I liked this one most:
511
If you were coming in the fall,
I'd brush the summer by
With half a smile and half a spurn,
As housewives do a fly.
If I could see you in a year,
I'd wind the months in balls,
And put them each in separate drawers,
Until their time befalls.
If only centuries delayed,
I'd count them on my hand,
Subtracting till my fingers dropped
Into Van Diemen's land.
If certain, when this life was out,
That yours and mine should be,
I'd toss it yonder like a rind,
And taste eternity.
But now, all ignorant of the length
Of time's uncertain wing,
It goads me, like the goblin bee,
That will not state its sting.
I liked this one most:
511
If you were coming in the fall,
I'd brush the summer by
With half a smile and half a spurn,
As housewives do a fly.
If I could see you in a year,
I'd wind the months in balls,
And put them each in separate drawers,
Until their time befalls.
If only centuries delayed,
I'd count them on my hand,
Subtracting till my fingers dropped
Into Van Diemen's land.
If certain, when this life was out,
That yours and mine should be,
I'd toss it yonder like a rind,
And taste eternity.
But now, all ignorant of the length
Of time's uncertain wing,
It goads me, like the goblin bee,
That will not state its sting.
August 23, 2025
love dickinson bad but this selection could’ve been a little more cohesive, plus they edited out all the dashes and capitals! also on the editing - they could’ve gone with the better more original versions of many of these poems.
January 2, 2020
Dickinson and I just don't vibe idk
May 4, 2020
Did I completely understand everything? No. Did I enjoy this anyway? Yes and this edition is gorgeous.
April 27, 2021
A bit too many religious sounding poems
November 28, 2021
i like emily dickinson's poetry, but i didn't really like this version. only about 40 percent of the poems are ACTUAL love poems.
June 9, 2008
I love this book because it contains my favourite poem:
My cocoon tightens, colors tease,
I'm feeling for the air
A dim capacity for wings
Degrades the dress I wear.
A power of butterfly must be
The aptitude to fly,
Meadows of majesty concedes
And easy sweeps of sky.
So I must baffle at the hint
And cipher at the sign,
And make much blunder, if at last
I take the clew divine.
p. 10
My cocoon tightens, colors tease,
I'm feeling for the air
A dim capacity for wings
Degrades the dress I wear.
A power of butterfly must be
The aptitude to fly,
Meadows of majesty concedes
And easy sweeps of sky.
So I must baffle at the hint
And cipher at the sign,
And make much blunder, if at last
I take the clew divine.
p. 10
September 11, 2012
This book of Emily Dickinsons poems helped to remind me of my love for poetry. After I graduated high school I wasn't reading as much poetry. I bought this book from a resale store for $3.00. It was well worth the money. After I bought it I read it 3 times in one week. Every time I read it I felt and saw something different in the poems. Being able to have three different experiences with one book in one week shows how great of a book this really is.
December 29, 2014
I was in the mood for some tight metre and the unraveling of dense metaphor. Since I've read Dickinson's complete works several times, there was no new ground to cover here, but I still enjoy seeing the way that different editors choose to group poems in various collections. (Although I don't enjoy when editors feel the need to give the poems titles.)
November 4, 2007
At my high school, the headmaster dedicated a 'class book' to each graduating class and gave a copy to each senior. This was our class book and I have to say no collection of poetry has ever made more sense to me.
May 20, 2009
What fun to read Dickinson in different combinations. All her poems are love poems in one way or another, but grouping them together this way is like putting new colors together. You see different things.
January 22, 2014
Personally, I did not enjoy this read. I could not relate to it what so ever. Her poetry goes a lot deeper and it makes you think, so I must agree that was a positive but nothing else seemed to enlighten me.
December 21, 2017
I love Emily Dickinson, and I wanted this small book of love poems because it's a handy size, and all about love.
April 22, 2025
"I had no time to hate, because
The grave would hinder me,
And life was not so ample I
Could finish enmity."
My queen Emily Dickinson
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews