Emily Dickinson Poems

Many of Emily Dickinson poems were about nature and science. Emily Dickinson loved to write poems about love, God, death and immortality.

When did Emily Dickinson begin writing poems?

No one can be sure when Emily Dickinson first began writing but it seems to have been in her early 20's. Emily Dickinson 's most productive and important years were between 1858 and 1864, during the Civil War.

It was then that Emily Dickinson began to sew packets of poems together, to keep them safe. The war affected her little - she seldom mentioned it in her letters and wrote to a friend "War feels to me an oblique place." But something - and there have been many guesses as to what - seemed to trigger an internal struggle or crisis that resulted in a great burst of creativity. Many have theorized it was unrequited love. Others have suspected it was a religious dilemma.

The first critics of Emily Dickinson poems

Between the years of 1862 and 1864, many Emily Dickinson poems were written and it was also during this time that Emily Dickinson made the contact of a friend named Thomas Higginson.

Thomas Higginson

Thomas Higginson had just written an article in the Atlantic Monthly advising young writers on how to get published, and admonishing them that poetry must have life, that it must breathe.

Emily Dickinson sent him four poems and dutifully asked him:

"Is my verse alive?"

Emily Dickinson pleaded to Thomas Higginson him to be honest. Emily Dickinson probably chose Thomas Higginson not just because of his article, but also because he was known to be interested in social causes, including the rights of women.

From then on, Emily Dickinson used Thomas Higginson as her guide, critic, and confidante, sending him volumes of letters and poems over the years. Thomas Higginson was intrigued by Emily Dickinson. He recognized her uniqueness, but he found her too unique. He was a traditionalist, confused by her unconventional rhythms and style, which are recognized today as the forerunner of modern poetry.

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