"There's no one in the world like EMILY"

I have to set this blog up with a song. It's been stuck in my head since we watched the video on Tuesday and the one woman said there was no one in the world like Emily Dickinson. Here's a song from First to Last that I will never again be able to listen to without thinking of Emily Dickinson. It's called "Emily."
So, here are a few interesting Emily Dickinson fun facts:

I am a huge fan.

I sent my SAT scores to Amherst College. I considered going there simply, because of Emily's history in Amherst. I decided not to finish the application process, because I decided this probably wasn't good enough logic to base the rest of my future upon.

I'm no longer quite so obsessed.

Historical Reference: Emily Dickinson loved the poetry of John Keats (He is in my top 3, if not my favorite poet). She also liked the Brownings. I learned this from poets.org:

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/155

You should read it! One cool thing I also found out is that she had bound her poems in a certain order that was changed by various editors that published her. They now think that their was some kind of importance to the order she bound them in other than chronology.

The facilitation was amazing! I really enjoyed it. I think one of the coolest things about class was the Exquisite Corpse poems. Those were really good. The best thing I think I learned though was that she had marked in her copy of "Self-Reliance" these passages:

"My life is for itself and not for spectacle" and "What I must do is all that concerns me not what people think"

That knowledge makes me feel more certain in the belief that I already had. Her solitude was not something that should make us pity her. She chose that solitude, and she did wonderful things with the solitude that she gave herself. I went through a phase where I kinda shut myself out from the world. I used to go back behind my house everyday as soon as I got home from school, and I would sit on the ledge above the creek and just write. I kept it all in a journal. When I go back and read it, I'm jealous of the person I was. In those moments of complete solitude, I had myself figured out. I thought I had the world figured out, and back then I didn't really mind not being a part of it. I've never written anything more honest or beautiful than when I wrote on that ledge. I don't even remember when I stopped going back there- I got too caught up in society. I think that's what Emily was avoiding. She didn't want to be diluted. She didn't want her thoughts on life and love to be diluted either. I think that's why I always loved her work. I recognized something of myself in her words. I've always loved this poem:

70

"Arcturus" is his other name—
I'd rather call him "Star."
It's very mean of Science
To go and interfere!

I slew a worm the other day—
A "Savant" passing by
Murmured "Resurgam"—"Centipede"!
"Oh Lord—how frail are we"!

I pull a flower from the woods—
A monster with a glass
Computes the stamens in a breath—
And has her in a "class"!

Whereas I took the Butterfly
Aforetime in my hat—
He sits erect in "Cabinets"—
The Clover bells forgot.

What once was "Heaven"
Is "Zenith" now—
Where I proposed to go
When Time's brief masquerade was done
Is mapped and charted too.

What if the poles should frisk about
And stand upon their heads!
I hope I'm ready for "the worst"—
Whatever prank betides!

Perhaps the "Kingdom of Heaven's" changed—
I hope the "Children" there Won't be "new fashioned" when I come—
And laugh at me—and stare—

I hope the Father in the skies
Will lift his little girl—
Old fashioned—naught—everything—
Over the stile of "Pearl."

I think it says a lot about how people lessen the beauty of nature by classification. Just like society tries to cram everything into customs and institutions. I really like the part about her going to heaven. It always made me sad though, when she says she hopes the children there don't laugh and stare at her. With this poem I feel like I can really hear Emily's voice.

Favorite Quotes:

"Parting is all we know of heaven, and all we need of hell."

"That Love is all there is, is all we know of Love."

"Heart! We will forget him! You and I-tonight! You may forget the warmth he gave-I will forget the light!"