*Born December 10, 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts *“Magnum bonum, harem scarum” was first poem published in 1850-all poems were published without credit * Only published between 7-11 poems before her death *Died May 15, 1886 after two and a half years of poor health “FIND ECSTASY IN LIFE; THE MERE SENSE OF LIVING IS JOY ENOUGH.”

*Extremely private. Shied away from social gatherings, but active in letter writing. *Legend has it that Dickinson always wore white. Her one surviving dress is white and she was buried in white. This rumor was started and propagated by townspeople and family. *Choose to publish her work anonymously. *Opposed popular sentiments. FUN FACTS

Was a very defiant individual. *In her youth she attended a seminary school, but refused to confess her faith. *Refused to publish poems under her name. *Wrote her poems in unusual meter.

In spite of eye problems Dickinson wrote until her death. The importance of her writing was not discovered until her younger sister found a cabinet containing 1,147 poems. All were in reasonable condition and 833 were bound, stitched by Dickinson. “THE POSSIBLE SLOW FUSE IS LIT BY THE IMAGINATION.”

“Hope” is the thing with feathers “Why do I love” You Sir? A Bird Came Down A Book I’m nobody! Who are you? Success is Counted Sweetest I Died For Beauty Tell All The Truth FAMOUS POEMS

“Emily Dickinson can be seen as eccentric or as psychologically unbalanced or even crazy.” “One of America’s greatest poets.” “Dickinson’s voice is… unmistakable.” “There is no doubt that critics are justified in complaining that her work is often cryptic in thought and unmelodious in expression.”-R.P. Blackmur WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT EMILY DICKINSON