Untitled #162 by Emily Dickinson
My River runs to thee-
Blue Sea! Wilt welcome me?
My River waits reply-
Oh Sea-look graciously-
I'll fetch thee Brooks
From Spotted nooks-
Say-Sea-Take Me!
From 'The Collected Works of Emily Dickinson'
edited by Thomas H. Johnson
copyright 1942 to Martha Dickinson Bianchi
(my version)
Ambition of the Heart
You, on your lush island-
I, in my wildflower field-
isn't there some way
for the ocean and river to meet half-way?
for I am not a full-fledged river-
I am only a lonely brook
that lingers, still and seemingly
content, locked in by the land
around me.
The ocean is vast and powerful,
more accustomed
to performing miracles than I-
at least, on a larger scale.
O Ocean, hear my heart's call...
The moon shines
on my unheard tears.
O Ocean, hear my soul's hope...
I have elegant dreams-
someday visions of
being embraced
by the Tide...
Untitled #1,210 by Emily Dickinson
The Sea said 'Come' to the Brook-
The Brook said 'Let me grow'-
The Sea said 'Then you will be a Sea-
I want a Brook-come now!'
The Sea said 'Go' to the Sea-
The Sea said 'I am he
You cherished'---'Learned Waters-
Wisdom is stale-to Me'
'The Collected Works of Emily Dickinson'
ed. by Thomas H. Johnson
copyright 1942 to Martha Dickinson Bianchi
(my version)
Denial of the Dream
O Ocean, would you take
my heart's River
and lead it onward
to infinite Pain---
never-ending Sorrow?
You are awesome---
magnificent to behold---
I am only a simple Brook---
would you reduce my Glory
just to add to your own?
Cruel Sea---leave me
to my wildflower forests---
you do not need
my whisper-song---
it could not be heard
above your mighty roar...
Author notes
Option 1--
Write a response in tribute to your favorite published poet. (Please say which poet)
I've always admired Emily Dickinson's works...I actually got her original manuscript on microfilm & made copies of my favorite poems in her own handwriting, typed copies of them, then matted & framed them with a copy of the daguerrotype picture of her...She was amazing...& her material is timeless...
'An Open Letter to Emily Dickinson' w/daguerrotype
(I couldn't get it to download for this poem)
www.allpoetry.com/poem/720936
A portion of my reply to bookdragon: 'Actually, these are not rewrites of her poems, which makes them all the more unusual to me...I wrote these two poems first; then, later I was flipping through her collected works & found hers...They seemed to me to be about the same subjects, from a different perspective...I told my literature teacher about it, as I seemed to have a great affinity for Dickinson...She was as stunned by it as I was & suggested we had some sort of connection...I've received comments over the years comparing my work to hers, which humbles me greatly...even while I feel that, when I get to Heaven, she'll be waiting to greet me...with a big stick hidden behind her back...'
Written November 26th, 2005
In a list
- Passion • next in list
- A Few of My Favorite Poems • next in list
- Inspired by Famous People • next in list
- Gathering Possibilities • next in list
- Honorable Mentions • next in list
- Older Poems (under construction) • next in list
- Inspired by Emily Dickinson • next in list
- Poems on Poetry • next in list
- Stories • next in list
- Sorrow • next in list
- Saying Goodbye • next in list
- Dedications (under construction) • next in list
A contest entry
- Options -- My very first contest by Unowhatthesis4.
1600 points, ended May 29, 2007, 13 entries
Honorable winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 28 of 28
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:-D These two poems were perfect for my contest option because you assumed the voice and style of the poet that you admired while simultaneously acknowledging Emily's great work ((I'm a big Dickinson fan too)).
I appreciated the way you used dashes, capitalized nouns, and wordchoice (words like Brook, Glory, Sea, etc.) to evoke Emily's voice.
I do hope that in your writing you also find an author's voice of your own, but by the looks of it you probably already have because these poems are well written (i.e. flow smoothly, unfold the ideas well, etc.)
Thank you again for the poem. :-D -
Superb
I like Emily Dickinson. Her poetry brings back poignant yet happy memories. I also like your adaptations, just as they are.
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Great Poem
Hello and Congratulations Wanda on winning an honorable mention in the contest!!!!
Your poem was a pleasure to read and so deserved to be among the winners. You take care and have a nice day. Sandy 
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This is excellent work
writing and research are excellent, i feel as though i have sat through a class, the derived versions of Dickinson bring new life to the elements of her style and somehow to my mind expands and adds to it- this is the work of a truly gifted writer and a dedicated scholar...thank you...PK
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Very well done, the style is very much resembling Emily Dickinson. I think she may greet you with a hug rather than a stick. Lovely work, best wishes to you. Can you replace the poem numbers with the titles though, it might make it easier for others to relate the pieces then.
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Thank you for hosting & for your kind words...As far as I know, there aren't any titles; most of them are referred to by their first lines...I'll double~check later, after work; I have her "Collected Poems"...I appreciate the opportunity to offer accolades to the Belle of Amherst once more; she's been my unwilling mentor since I began writing...
I appreciate ya, Poet...
Wanda
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Wow
Thank you for sharing this with me. Though I need not read the comments to see how well you know/read Emily... Well done. It flows through your soul like the light of home. A pleasure to have read this here today. Thank you for inviting me. ~Pamela 
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Thank you for coming. My favorite literature teacher told me I must have her DNA; she also once told an entire class that I was "better than Emily Dickinson".
I hid in the library for days afterwards. I figure, when I get to Heaven, the Belle will be waiting for me...with a big stick behind her back... I'm glad you enjoyed it, Lady...I just wrote a new poem; I'll send you the link when it's done...Hopefully, you'll like it, too... 
Wanda
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As you know, I have known another osul who could read her words like no one I have heard since.... I have been afraqid to read them since...they hurt me with their aboslute and evocative beauty.
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My Lit teacher said I must have some of her DNA floatin' around inside of me somewhere. 
I dunno; it always puzzled me that I identified with her so intensely. Thanks, Sweetie. 
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Wanda, I believe in things like that. You and Emily might very well have a Spiritual connection. Sometimes, when one reads another's work, they see things in that author that others cannot. Yes, it's true, Wanda. I suspect you were looking into her very Soul...
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Beautiful, Rich...Thank you, Scribe... Wanda
"I hope you love birds too. It is economical. It saves going
to heaven."
"If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off,
I know that is poetry."
"If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire
can ever warm me, I know that is poetry."
~ Emily Dickinson
"I must go in, the fog is rising."
~ dying words of Emily Dickinson, poet, d. 1886
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And in her eyes with captured stars
to stay on land with wings that fly,
and touch them one by ne she did
but never even moved her fingers. -
Thank you, Apoffis...
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Why, thank ya, tj...I'm glad you enjoyed it...Thanks for comin' by...I appreciate ya, Poet... Wanda
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I've encountered that, too...with Lyrical Soul & Ayizan lately...as for your other comment, I shall repeat what I told Richard: 
swoons dead away Wanda
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nice nuggert
im a fan of your idea here
the influence
and oscilation of u n emily
the water - love - sex... fluids
the words seemed to run together
melt
i liked it
itwas good untill the last stanza
Cruel Sea---leave me
to my wildflower forests---
you do not need
my whisper-song---
it could not be heard
above your mighty roar...
which was better...
a neat emotional nutshell
a clear and pleeding outlook..
i cant be arsed with all the foamy spray.. leave me with the clover...
respek - verry good
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Precisely, Rae...That's exactly how it felt when I wrote them...& these aren't the only ones I've experienced that on...My Lit professor actually went so far as to suggest that, perhaps, I carried some of ED's DNA... I could no more explain how it happened than anyone...All I really know is, there are certain Poets I have a deep feeling for...Emily, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Elinor Wylie & Elizabeth Barrett Browning (notice??? All start with 'E'...) I never could figure out how or why a former tomboy could identify so heavily with such Romantic writers...Then I figured, it was a great proving ground...One needs a great deal of strength to be a Poet...let alone a Romantic Poet...Thanks for comin' by & leaving your lovely words behind, my Friend... Wanda
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the flow of this was as of such that one would --could actually feel as if theyre the one whos writing this from some unknown place of the heart without ever really realizing it
Rae -
Thank you for your kind words, my Friend...A building with Dickinson's poetry on it??? How wonderful...She certainly deserves the kudos...By way of explaining how these poems came to be, I put part of my reply to bookdragon in my author's comments; here they are, for your elucidation...Thanks again... Wanda
'Actually, these are not rewrites of her poems, which makes them all the more unusual to me...I wrote these two poems first; then, later I was flipping through her collected works & found hers...They seemed to me to be about the same subjects, from a different perspective...I told my literature teacher about it, as I seemed to have a great affinity for Dickinson...She was as stunned by it as I was & suggested we had some sort of connection...I've received comments over the years comparing my work to hers, which humbles me greatly...even while I feel that, when I get to Heaven, she'll be waiting to greet me...with a big stick hidden behind her back...'
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Thanks for reading so quickly, bookdragon...Actually, these are not rewrites of her poems, which makes them all the more unusual to me...I wrote these two poems first; then, later I was flipping through her collected works & found hers...They seemed to me to be about the same subjects, from a different perspective...I told my literature teacher about it, as I seemed to have a great affinity for Dickinson...She was as stunned by it as I was & suggested we had some sort of connection...I've received comments over the years comparing my work to hers, which humbles me greatly...even while I feel that, when I get to Heaven, she'll be waiting to greet me...with a big stick hidden behind her back... I understand your ruling, though, as you didn't know the circumstances of my writing these, nor could I 'prove it'...It's enough to me to know it actually happened...Thanks for considering them, at any rate...I'm glad you liked them...Have a great time judging...You're bound to get some great entries...& I have re~entered the contest with a new write...I love the Classics...sighhh... Perhaps sometime, you might care to read this one of mine, when Time presents itself...& yes, I got my 'random' capitalizations & use of ellipsis from her influences...Be well, Poet... Wanda
'An Open Letter to Emily Dickinson' w/daguerrotype
(I couldn't get it to download for this poem)
www.allpoetry.com/poem/720936 -
Hi, Wanda! I love Emily Dickinson's works too. I think your versions of her works are beautiful and very much worthy. When I visited Amsterdam everyday when I woke up and got up outside the building was another building with a Dickinson poem on it and I would go outside despite the spring chill even if I hadn't eaten yet or if my traveling companion was not ready, or even awake yet just so I could read and reread the poem.
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I loved your 2 poems and can feel how much you appreciate Dickinson's works however.. I am a stickler for rules
Rule # 3
3)Emulate does not mean rewriting, it means recreating styles and/or moods.
The 2 above are reworks. What I want is either an original poem in the STYLE of Dickinson. OR a poem written to or about Dickinson expressing what reading her poetry makes you feel.
I hope you reenter somthing as you are a good poet with an obvious love of poetry,
Angela
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