Group Two's
Anthology
Compiled By Tony Blakely, Amy
Fry,
Kathy Szuszkiewicz and Randy Wells
Selection Criteria:
We as a group decided that each of us would create our own criteria for
the poems selected. This allows for a more diverse anthology since we are
able to focus on an area of Emily Dickinson's poetry that most interests
us as individual readers. We feel that the poems selected best reflect
how Emily would want to portray herself today, not only as a poet, but
also as a woman, activist and most of all a human being with an
exceptional insight into life.
Selected Poems:
Thoughts on Religion,
selected by Amy Fry
The institution of religion, I felt, had to be included in our group's
mini-anthology, since many of Emily's ambiguous works were quests for truth and
certitude in a seemingly aloof God. A religion contains many facets; one
specifically is faith. A definition of faith is a reliance or trust in a
person or thing you aren't necessarily able to see or touch. For this
reason I chose faith as one of the criterion in selecting my additions to
the group's anthology. With this criterion I was able to show that even
though Emily does not agree with the idea of the conventional God, Heaven
and Church, she does have faith that all three do exist, but here on earth
and in nature, not in the firmaments.
#216: Safe in their Alabaster Chambers -
#239: "Heaven" - is what I cannot reach!
#248: Why - do they shut Me out of Heaven?
#324: Some keep the Sabbath going to Church -
#1270: Is Heaven a Physician?
Human Nature, selected by
Kahty Szuszkiewicz
I am very interested in experiences and tendencies common to all human
beings. I found many of Emily Dickinson's poems did an excellent job of
describing aspects of human nature. I believe the more we understand
nature, the more we understand ourselves and those around us. A
realization that many of the feelings and experiences we have are common
to humans in general can also help greatly in dealing with everyday life.
For this reason I chose the following five poems as a part of our
mini-anthology.
#67: Success is counted sweetest
#281: 'Tis so appalling - it exhilarates -
#419: We grow accustomed to the Dark -
#435: Much Madness is divinest Sense -
#670: One need not be a Chamber - to be Haunted -
Social, Political and
Economic Influences, selected by Tony Blakely
I'm a philosophy major and English minor. This fact led to the
development of my criteria. Being able to notice the influence of
philosophy on literature and literature on philosophy has allowed me a
greater appreciation for both. It has allowed me a greater understanding
of each discipline and the writers that participate. Byron and Mary
Shelley helped me to better grasp Nietzsche and his idea of the
Uebermensch or Superman. David Hume is quoted as saying of his first
publication, A Treatise of Human Nature, "never a literary was more
unfortunate, for the book fell deadborn from the press." I believe the
few issues that were sold were read by the artist and authors of the
time; who else knew or had the time?
Noticing the influence that these two disciplines have on one another
has forced me to more closely examine the social, political and economic
influences of persons I am studying. That is what I chose as my criteria
for the Emily anthology: what were the outside influences on her
poetry?
#67:Success is counted sweetest
#185: "Faith" is a fine invention
#251: Over the fence -
#303: The Soul selects her own Society -
#444: It feels a shame to be Alive -
Feminine Thought, selected by
Randy Wells
#84: Her breast is fit for pearls,
#518: Her sweet Weight on my Heart a Night
#1219: Now I knew I lost her -
#1318: Frigid and sweet Her parting Face -
#1568: To see her is a Picture -
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