Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) was an American poet whose work profoundly influenced modern poetry. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, Dickinson led a reclusive life, rarely venturing outside her home. Despite her seclusion, she produced nearly 1,800 poems, though only a handful were published during her lifetime—and often without her consent or underContinue Reading
“A Route of Evanescence (1489)” A Route of Evanescence fading awayWith a revolving Wheel –A Resonance of Emerald – reverberationA Rush of Cochineal –And every Blossom on the BushAdjusts its tumbled Head – the fallen flowers liven upThe mail from Tunis, probably,An easy Morning’s Ride – “A Route of Evanescence” is an important DickinsonContinue Reading
The most striking quality of Donne’s poetry is the use of metaphysical conceit which is a figure of speech in which two farfetched objects or images of very different nature are compared. It surprises its readers by its ingenious discovery and delights them by its intellectual quality. A metaphysical conceitContinue Reading
At the beginning of the 17th century the love poetry of John Donne expressed a strong and independent spirit. In his lyrics, he combined passionate emotional intensity with keen and active intelligence displayed in logical analysis and verbal wit, especially the extensive use of puns, equivocations, and the conceit or extendedContinue Reading
John Donne (1572–1631) was a seminal figure in English literature and one of the leading metaphysical poets of the early 17th century. Born into a Catholic family during a time of religious conflict in England, Donne later converted to Anglicanism and became a respected cleric in the Church of England.Continue Reading
A lyric is any fairly short poem, uttered by a single speaker, who expresses a state of mind or a process of perception, thought, and feeling. “O Captain, My Captain,” is a ceremonial poem uttered in a public voice on a public occasion, namely on the death of Abhraham Lincoln.Continue Reading
An elegy is a poem of mourning. Most elegies are about someone who has died. Some elegies mourn a way of life that is gone forever. “O Captain! My Captain!” mourns the tragic death of President Abraham Lincoln. The poem was written in honor of President Lincoln following his assassination,Continue Reading
O Captain! My Captain! ——- Walt Whitman O Captain! My Captain! our fearful trip is done;The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won; strong windThe port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring: boat ButContinue Reading
The Civil War had a great impact on Walt Whitman’s life. He moved to Washington in 1863 and, after volunteering as a wound dresser in Washington hospitals, determined to devote his life to war service. His experiences during the war inspired many poems, a collection of which, Drum-Taps, was published inContinue Reading
“Come up from the Fields, Father” is a poem from Walt Whitman on the topic of warfare, more specifically the impact that a soldier’s involvement in war has on the family. The poem occurs on a calm Ohio autumn day, tranquil and wondrous on a quiet farm. The eldest daughterContinue Reading
