Emily Dickinson was a renowned American poet who lived from 1830 to 1886 in Amherst, Massachusetts. She rarely left her home and wrote nearly 1800 poems throughout her life, though few were published during her lifetime. After her death, her sister discovered her poems sewn together in packets. Scholars later realized Dickinson was being innovative with her unconventional use of dashes, capitalization, and formatting. She never married but wrote passionate love poems, though the intended recipients are unknown. Dickinson's poetry is known for its sparseness and imagery.

1. Emily DickinsonEmily Dickinson
1830-18861830-1886

2. • Born in Amherst,
Massachusetts,
where she lived all of
her life.
• Had one sister and
one brother with
whom she was very
close.

3. Attended Mount Holyoke Female Seminary for oneAttended Mount Holyoke Female Seminary for one
year, but left due to extreme homesickness.year, but left due to extreme homesickness.

4. Throughout her life she rarely left herThroughout her life she rarely left her
home, dressed in white, and visitorshome, dressed in white, and visitors
were scarce.were scarce.

5. Wrote nearly 1800Wrote nearly 1800
poems in her lifetime,poems in her lifetime,
but only published abut only published a
few.few.
Her poems wereHer poems were
found by her sisterfound by her sister
after her death. Theyafter her death. They
were sewn together inwere sewn together in
little packets on scrapslittle packets on scraps
of paper.of paper.

6.  The early publishers felt the poemsThe early publishers felt the poems
needed to be “fixed.” They omitted theneeded to be “fixed.” They omitted the
dashes and “fixed” the meter, rhyme, anddashes and “fixed” the meter, rhyme, and
punctuation.punctuation.
 Scholars looking at the original poems inScholars looking at the original poems in
the 1950s realized that Dickinson wasthe 1950s realized that Dickinson was
being innovative. An unedited version ofbeing innovative. An unedited version of
her poems was finally published in 1955.her poems was finally published in 1955.

7. Below is an early version of “I heard a fly buzz
when I died.” Notice it has a title, there are no
dashes or irregular capitals, rhymes are added, and
everything flows neatly just like a poem is expected
to.
DYING.
I HEARD a fly buzz when I die;-
The stillness round my form
Was like the stillness in the air
Between the heaves of storm.
The eyes beside had wrung them dry
And breaths were gathering sure
For that last onset when the king
Be witnessed in his power.
I willed my keepsakes, signed away
What portion of me I
Could make assignable and, and then
There interposed a Fly,
With blue, uncertain, stumbling buzz,
Between the light and me;
And then the windows failed, and then
I could not see to see
Below is the 1955 version, which was strictly a
transcription of Dickinson’s original work.
There’s no title, and the original dashes, capitals,
and text are intact.
465
I heard a Fly buzz - when I died -
The Stillness in the Room
Was like the Stillness in the Air -
Between the Heaves of Storm
The Eyes around - had wrung them dry -
And Breaths were gathering firm
For that last Onset - when the King
Be witnessed - in the Room -
I willed my Keepsakes - Signed away
What portion of me be
Assignable - and then it was
There interposed a Fly -
With Blue - uncertain stumbling Buzz -
Between the light - and me -

8. Dickinson never married, but many of
her poems are passionate love poems.
Biographers have guesses about their
intended recipients, but no one is sure.
Her poetry is known for its sparseness,
concentration,and imagery.

9. One of her last letters was written to
her cousins as she lay dying:
Little cousins ­
Called back ­
Emily

10. One of her last letters was written to
her cousins as she lay dying:
Little cousins ­
Called back ­
Emily