Compiled By Ellen Bayer,
Nathan Dutle,
Robert Detmering and Noah
Soudrette
Robert Detmering and Noah Soudrette
Selection Criteria:
When trying to decide the criteria by which we would select these twenty poems, we went over many of Emily Dickinson's artistic traits that have made her such a prominent and important figure in American literature. Eventually it was boiled down to the simple, yet vastly important, factor that her ability and individuality as an artist that spurred her on to tackle such taboo and socially unacceptable subjects as sex, religion and nature. It is her tackling of the subject of sex that stands out the most boldly, in a time when much of the social milieu had deemed that one's feelings on sex and sexuality should be internalized and best not spoken about. While the general focus of our criteria is Emily's unabashed willingness to blatantly riff on sexuality, we have narrowed that to three specific thematic strings. First, we looked for poetry that would show the relationship between sex and death. Second, we focused on her explorations of sexuality through its comparison to nature, and in turn, god (since she often equivocates god and nature). Thirdly, we tried to find poems that might raise, and/or answer, questions about the nature of Emily Dickinson's sexual preference. One's sexuality, and society's view on sexuality, is still a heated subject of debate in this day and age, which is why we feel explorations such as Emily's are important. Some might say our minds are in the gutter; some might say that this is an excellent aspect of Emily's poetry to explore. However, if the former is true, then well just blame it on taking too many of Dr. Wallace's classes.Selected Poems:
#14: One Sister have I in our house,#91: So bashful when I spied her!
#190: He was weak, and I was strong - then -
#249: Wild Nights - Wild Nights!
#251: Over the fence -
#315: He fumbles at your Soul
#334: All the letters I can write
#339: I tend my flowers for thee -
#494: Going to Him! Happy letter!
#585: I like to see it lap the Miles -
#636: The Way to read a Letter's - this -
#773: Deprived of other Banquet,
#861: Split the Lark - and you'll find the Music -
#1003: Dying at my music!
#1332: Pink - small - and punctual -
#1670: In Winter in my Room
#1677: On my volcano grows the Grass
#1688: The Hills erect their Purple Heads
#1702: Today or this noon
#1737: Rearrange a "Wife's" affection!