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The Pocket Emily Dickinson
A selection of authentic versions of the best poems of America’s most popular poet–in a beautiful miniature edition.
Emily Dickinson is widely considered to be one of the greatest of American poets. The aphoristic style and wit of much of her verse, its irregular rhymes, directness of expression, and startling imagery, have had a profound effect on twentieth-century literature. Over a hundred of Dickinson’s best poems are collected here. These unique and gemlike lyrics are pure distillations of profound feeling and great intellect. They contain a world of imagination, observation, and precisely articulated spiritual and emotional experience.
Emily Dickinson is widely considered to be one of the greatest of American poets. The aphoristic style and wit of much of her verse, its irregular rhymes, directness of expression, and startling imagery, have had a profound effect on twentieth-century literature. Over a hundred of Dickinson’s best poems are collected here. These unique and gemlike lyrics are pure distillations of profound feeling and great intellect. They contain a world of imagination, observation, and precisely articulated spiritual and emotional experience.
160 pages, Paperback
First published October 10, 1995
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About the author
Emily Dickinson
1,559 books6,861 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 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 19, 2025
I adore this beautiful pocket edition, not only because it is beautifully designed and has some of Dickinson’s most popular poetry, but because it is a gift from Emily from the publishing company she works at! Thank you Emily for work by another talented Emily! I cannot wait to talk about it for book club.
June 6, 2025
I still hate poetry!!! She gets bonus point for being queer.
January 5, 2026
Good selection. Got it in her house
May 18, 2025
The poems of Emily Dickinson will always be classic, full of meditations on love, immortality, paradise, life, death, and faith.
Some truly did sit with me, making me feel strong emotions as I digested her often simple but meaningful words, and others I did find to be a bit difficult to understand. As most of them are from the 19th century and merely translations of her original work, it makes sense that some didn’t quite “hit” as others did, so I’ll give her that.
Overall, I love that her work is still being studied and considered in high regard, because she truly spit some bars in the 1800s.
RIP Emily you would’ve loved Taylor Swift.
Some truly did sit with me, making me feel strong emotions as I digested her often simple but meaningful words, and others I did find to be a bit difficult to understand. As most of them are from the 19th century and merely translations of her original work, it makes sense that some didn’t quite “hit” as others did, so I’ll give her that.
Overall, I love that her work is still being studied and considered in high regard, because she truly spit some bars in the 1800s.
RIP Emily you would’ve loved Taylor Swift.
September 7, 2021
It's tiny. Secretive, just like Emily Dickinson's writing. Pack it with you for a trip or a hike or just for a walk about town.
It includes some of the best. "I taste liquor never brewed." and "Wild nights - Wild nights!"
Read one or two or ten. Don't ready too many. Just enough. 10 were published. 1,800 written.
It includes some of the best. "I taste liquor never brewed." and "Wild nights - Wild nights!"
Read one or two or ten. Don't ready too many. Just enough. 10 were published. 1,800 written.
May 30, 2020
What a beautiful little book. There are over 100 poems here which is more than another larger Emily Dickinson book I own. These poems are genius, highly recommend.
December 27, 2021
emily dickinson you will always be famous.
July 16, 2022
emily ATE. will definitely be revisiting this
October 28, 2011
"I dwell in Possibility --
A fairer House than Prose."
A fairer House than Prose."
July 25, 2012
digesting. one emily poem every so often is probably the right dose.
June 30, 2016
If you enjoy Emily Dickinson's poetry, it would not hurt to pick up this easy-to-carry pocketbook.
November 23, 2022
A marvelous perspective of life, death and immortality ❤️
August 10, 2024
brilliant woman
October 30, 2024
Few writers can turn pure symbolism into a pleasant and palatable literary experience like Dickinson. I am in awe.
December 17, 2022
My favorite poet right now, maybe always.
March 8, 2023
truly the mother of american poetry and early femme-introspection
October 4, 2024
Dickinson is always magnificent, but I feel like this collection missed some of her most interesting and beautiful poems...
March 4, 2025
It is probably a 5 star book but my stupid self cannot comprehend all the beauty of her words...
So it lost a star for the ones I didn t get lol
So it lost a star for the ones I didn t get lol
April 18, 2010
Just the right size to celebrate "Poem in Your Pocket" day on April 29th.
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/406
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/406
July 6, 2014
شاعرة صافية من شوائب الإصطناع
أحببت شعرها الجميل جدّاً
أحببت شعرها الجميل جدّاً
November 30, 2025
August
Emily Dickinson, I love you.
Emily Dickinson, I love you.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews