Friday, May 13, 2016

Dickinson's Garden

If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can warm me I know that is poetry. If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry. These are the only way I know it. Is there any other way?
~Emily Dickinson


A poem from The Vanderbilt Review today. I love a poem with plants in it :-)


Emily Dickinson's Gardens: A Celebration of a Poet and Gardener
The Gardens of Emily Dickinson

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Visit Violet Nesdoly/poems for the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Violet!

13 comments:

Robyn Hood Black said...

Wow! Congrats to this fine young poet!
Love all this imagery and detail, especially "Feverfew for the headaches that accompany visitors."

Linda B said...

May I say "wow", too, Tabatha. Congratulations to your daughter for this poem. Of what I know of Emily Dickinson, your daughter created a poem OF her essence. Each part shows the thoughtful ways we also know from Emily's poetry. That ending is beautiful.

Violet N. said...

Your daughter!! You must be proud. This poem has a wonderful storybook feel to it. It's a real "persona" poem of the type Michelle is collecting at Today's Little Ditty.

Margaret Simon said...

Amazing. Powerful. I could read it again and again and see more. A true poet,

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes said...

You've heard it before, but add my "Wow" to the bouquet! Wonderful poem, Ariana! Mom must be so proud. :)

Carol said...

I am always amazed when a poet can take another writer's words and create something totally new and different. This is lovely- it makes me feel like I am in a garden (which seems, incidentally, like it will never happen in Colorado this year- given woke to another cold and rainy Saturday, I think it's the fourth or fifth bad weather weekend in a row). This also reminds me of the novel THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Diffenbaugh?

Brenda at FriendlyFairyTales said...

That is so exciting, to read one's child's words in print. And such words, linked to ED, a female ground-breaker. I think of her in a series of Mary Cassatt paintings, exquisitely dressed, in a garden of beauty, but chafing at being confined there. Your daughter has captured that perfectly.

Tara said...

What a lovely gift - a beautiful poem, by your very own daughter, to enjoy for both those reasons.

Mary Lee said...

Another WOW to add to the bouquet, as it were.

Love how she weaves the quote into the poem. Will be looking for a book by this poet sometime in the near future!

Doraine said...

Just lovely.

Donna Smith said...

Well, there you have it! I felt as if the top of my head were taken off as I read this! Sweeeet!

Bridget Magee said...

The petal doesn't fall far from the bloom, Tabatha! Your daughter is an amazing talent! I love the line:
"Feverfew for the headaches that accompany visitors" - I've experienced these visitors, but have had to rely on Tylenol. =)

Papa said...


A truly beautiful and powerful poem, Ariana. That's my granddaughter, folks!