#ClassicPoetry – #EmilyDickinson – #ANarrowFellow

/ Marcia

 

Another bit of classic poetry for your consideration. I’ve always loved Emily Dickinson’s poetry, and while my choice today might seem like an odd one, if you consider how much I love wildlife–even creatures that many folks do not care for–perhaps you’ll understand why I decided this was the first of her works I wanted to share.  Hope you’ll enjoy it, even if only because she managed to create a beautiful poem about a somewhat unpopular animal.

A Narrow Fellow in the Grass
BY EMILY DICKINSON

A narrow Fellow in the Grass
Occasionally rides –
You may have met him? Did you not
His notice instant is –

The Grass divides as with a Comb,
A spotted Shaft is seen,
And then it closes at your Feet
And opens further on –

He likes a Boggy Acre – 
A Floor too cool for Corn –
But when a Boy and Barefoot
I more than once at Noon

Have passed I thought a Whip Lash
Unbraiding in the Sun
When stooping to secure it
It wrinkled And was gone –

Several of Nature’s People
I know, and they know me
I feel for them a transport
Of Cordiality

But never met this Fellow
Attended or alone
Without a tighter Breathing
And Zero at the Bone.

Poet Emily Dickinson
“The Belle of Amherst”

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry.

Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, into a prominent family with strong ties to its community. After studying at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she briefly attended the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family’s home in Amherst.

Evidence suggests that Dickinson lived much of her life in isolation. Considered an eccentric by locals, she developed a penchant for white clothing and was known for her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, to even leave her bedroom. Dickinson never married, and most friendships between her and others depended entirely upon correspondence.

While Dickinson was a prolific writer, her only publications during her lifetime were 10 of her nearly 1,800 poems, and one letter. The poems published then were usually edited significantly to fit conventional poetic rules. Her poems were unique for her era. They contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation. Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends, and also explore aesthetics, society, nature, and spirituality.

And there you have today’s poem from the Days of Yore!
Hope you enjoyed it!

34 thoughts on “#ClassicPoetry – #EmilyDickinson – #ANarrowFellow”

    • It’s rather remarkable, isn’t it? I’m so glad you enjoy Dickinson, too, Darlene. I’ve always admired her, even if I feel NO “zero at the bone” when I meet a snake. I still love the poem, and appreciate your stopping by today to let me know you do, as well! Have a great Moon’s Day! 😀

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    • Oh, how lovely that you got to visit her home, Olga! She was a very interesting woman, I think, and I’m happy to know that you, too, love her poetry. Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a great day! 😀

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    • I do love most of her work, Staci, but yep! Couldn’t resist sharing this one today. I don’t have the same reaction upon meeting a “narrow fellow in the grass,” but I still love her descriptions. Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for stopping by to let me know. 😀

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    • I only knew some of her story, myself, Gwen, so it was interesting to find a more complete biography of her life. Recluse, indeed. (Why do I suspect “Belle of Amherst” was not meant to be taken seriously?)

      So glad you enjoyed learning a bit more about her, and I’ll likely be featuring more of her work in the months ahead. And thanks for stopping by! Hope your Moon’s Day is a great one! 🤗

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  6. As a person who doesn’t mind snakes, I enjoyed the poem, Marcia. And what an interesting glimpse of her bio. I had no idea so few of her poems were published during her lifetime, and heavily edited at that. That seems so rude, doesn’t it? The fact that many of her friendships were through correspondence, made me think of bloggers. I tend to stay in my room and communicate the same way. I’m so glad her greater volume of work has been preserved. Fascinating post, my friend.

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    • It’s very odd about the editing of her poetry, but I suppose times have changed, and poets don’t have to conform to set meters or rhyme schemes, if any. I don’t really know, but I though her bio was exceptionally interesting in several regards. Glad you enjoyed learning more about her.

      And we are lucky we can stay home to communicate OR go out with friends. The gift of the internet certainly allows us to “know” more folks and learn about life in other corners of the world.

      I love this little poem, and how she made something beautiful out of a critter many do not enjoy spotting anywhere! Thanks for stopping by today and sharing your thoughts, Diana! Have a great afternoon!! 🤗

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        • I started this Classical Poetry feature last month, Diana, and featured two poems by James Whitcomb Riley (The Frost is on the Punkin, and Little Orphant Annie). I plan to feature more of the poems I read decades ago in school, spread out here and there, probably randomly. I thought it would be fun to enjoy them along with the more contemporary types we often see. I love it all, but haven’t seen anyone sharing the “old standards” lately, so chose to go for that.

          I do hope lots of folks enjoy them, and maybe meet some poets they’d not met in the past, or had perhaps forgotten about over the years. Poetry is timeless, after all, so maybe these will be fun to add to the mix. What do you think?

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            • Good! I look forward to sharing lots of different poets, including more of my all time favorites.

              And I’m feeling better than I have in months and months! I can’t wait for my recheck with my new cardio doc to see what he thinks so far. I’m 99% sure Long Covid is Long Gone! And that it left me with heart damage that was causing all the issues. And I’m fairly confident we’re going to be able to manage things so I can get back to life as normal. (Or normal for ME, anyway!) Will update the blog again after I talk to Dr. Hill, and we’ll see if he agrees.

              Hope all is well with you, too?

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    • She was certainly a poet who influenced me when I was discovering the beauty of it all. One of my favorites, for sure, though I had many. So glad you enjoyed today’s post, Mar, and thanks so much for letting me know! Have a great day! 😀

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    • One of my all-time favorites, John. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. The phrase “zero at the bone” is a corker, isn’t it? Says so much with so few words!

      Thanks for stopping by today and taking a moment to comment, too! 😀

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    • So glad you enjoyed “meeting” Emily today, Mae. She was one of my very favorites when I really started delving into poetry in high school. And this little poem has always made me smile, if for no other reason than not many folks were writing “odes to snakes” back then. Or these days, either. 😁

      Hope you enjoy discovering more of her work, and thanks so much for stopping by today! Have a great one! 😀

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    • Thanks, Jan. (Sorry I missed this earlier. Was doing some last minute hurricane prep.) Snakes do have a very important role to play in nature, so it’s nice that you know that, even if they aren’t your favorite critters. And isn’t it wonderful that Dickinson could talk such a frequently unpopular animal and write a beautiful poem? I love that aspect!

      Thanks for stopping by and taking a moment to comment! 😀 ❤

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  12. What struck me about this poem was how modern it seems. I don’t know much about Emily Dickenson at all but intend to remedy that after reading A Narrow Fellow in the Grass. ❤

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    • She had a very distinctive style that was probably way ahead of its time, Trish. I think you’ll enjoy reading more of her work, and I do plan to mix some of her poems in with those of other poets from the past, too. I’m enjoying sharing these, and hope some of my visitors will find some new treasures in them. 😀 ❤

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    • She does, indeed, Sally. And I’ll be sharing more of her work and that of other poets from days gone by as the weeks go by, in the hopes that folks will enjoy discovering them, or re-reading them again. It’s amazing how well most have stood the test of time.

      Thanks for stopping by today, and I’m glad you enjoyed Dickinson’s way with words! 😀

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