Emily Dickinson

     Emily Dickinson has written about 1,800 poems in her lifetime. Each poem fits into a theme such as death, freedom, religion, etc. Three of her poems have a similar theme of freedom; specifically freedom in poetry. The first poem is called “They shut me up in prose.” The poem goes like this:

 

“They shut me up in Prose –

As when a little Girl

They put me in the Closet –

Because they liked me “still”   –

 

Still! Could themself have peeped –

And seen my Brain – go round –

They might as wise have lodged a Bird

For Treason – in the Pound –

 

Himself has but to will

And easy as a Star

Look down opon Captivity –

And laugh – No more have I” (Marshall, Kyla).

 

     In this poem, Emily is saying that as a young girl, she was sheltered. She didn’t have the freedom that she needed. Her parents wanted her to stay still in prose, which is dullness, and act like a good girl. Dickinson comes back to say that if they were to be inside her mind, they would see that there’s so much going on throughout her brain. She also says that they took her freedom away and compares it to lodging a bird in the pound. At the end of the poem she says “And easy as a star look down upon captivity – and laugh – no more have I” (Marshall, Kyla). These last couple of lines tell the reader how she no longer is in captivity, she is finally free. This could be parent wise, relationship wise, but it most likely will be writing wise. Dickinson is saying that she will not stay quiet wrapped in prose, she is no longer a lodged bird, she will write about what she wants and no one can tell her otherwise. America has the freedom of speech and the freedom to write about what you want. This right here shows that Emily Dickinson is going to take that right, not live in captivity, and write about what she wants (Marshall, Kyla). This can also be the familiar theme in “I dwell in possibility.” This poem says,

 

I dwell in Possibility –

A fairer House than Prose –

More numerous of Windows –

Superior – for Doors –

 

Of Chambers as the Cedars –

Impregnable of eye –

And for an everlasting Roof

The Gambrels of the Sky –

 

Of Visitors – the fairest –

For Occupation – This –

The spreading wide my narrow Hands

To gather Paradise” (I dwell in possibility – 466, Poetry Foundation).

               

     This second poem contributes to the theme of freedom in poetry. In this poem, Dickinson has a house with many doors, windows, and a lot of nature (I dwell in possibility – 466). She also says that the house has an everlasting roof, which is the sky. A popular saying is “the sky is the limit.” The only thing is that the sky is “an everlasting roof,” which means there is no limit. In this poem, Dickinson is saying that there is no limit to what she can write. In poetry, you have many possibilities. You have a house with many rooms, doors, windows, trees, and everything you could want. For us, a house with everything you can want would be something we see only in our daydreams. This is Emily’s daydream and she can only be apart of this when she’s writing. And with an everlasting roof, she has all of the freedom in the world to explore poetry (I dwell in possibility – 466, Poetry Foundation).

Lastly, in one of Emily Dickinson’s other poems titled “Could I ride but indefinite” she kind of contributes to the freedom theme except in this poem, she only sees this freedom as a daydream, not a reality. The poem says,

 

Could I but ride indefinite
As doth the Meadow Bee
And visit only where I liked
And No one visit me

And flirt all Day with Buttercups
And marry whom I may
And dwell a little everywhere
Or better, run away

With no Police to follow
Or chase Him if He do
Till He should jump Peninsulas
To get away from me --

I said "But just to be a Bee"
Upon a Raft of Air
And row in Nowhere all Day long
And anchor "off the Bar"

What Liberty! So Captives deem
Who tight in Dungeons are.” (Could I but ride indefinite, Inspirational Stories).

 

     In this poem, Emily explores the freedoms of writing. She compares her freedom to a bee, where no police will chase him, he doesn’t have to hide, and he can marry whom he wishes to marry (Could I but ride indefinite, Inspirational Stories). Everything is possible for this bee and Emily compares him to her freedom in writing. The only thing is that this freedom is only there in her dreams and when she wakes up, she is still in earth’s prison. This related to the poem “I dwell in possibility.” In her dreams she has the house with endless possibilities (I dwell in possibility – 466, Poetry Foundation). Just like that house with an everlasting sky, this bee has the freedom to do as he chooses. Emily Dickinson has the freedom to do what she wants only through her poetry. Once she wakes up from her “dream” of writing poetry, she is back in the physical world where she has lost most of her freedom (Could I ride but indefinite, Inspirational Stories).

     Overall, Emily Dickinson’s poems all have a specific theme. The three poems “They shut me up in prose,” I dwell in possibility,” and “Could I ride but indefinite” all have the theme of freedom in poetry. She compares this freedom to a house with endless possibilities and a bee. She says in all poems that she will not be held in captivity and whenever she writes her poetry, this is when she has the freedom to express what she wishes.