The Soul selects her own Society — Then — shuts the Door — To her divine Majority — Present no more — Unmoved — she notes the Chariots — pausing — At her low Gate — Unmoved — an Emperor be kneeling Upon her Mat — I’ve known her — from an ample nation — Choose One — Then — close the Valves of her attention — Like Stone — -Emily Dickinson
This is a small poetry club that started as a poetry email exchange between two friends. Our goal is to read a poem everyday, and this blog is one way to help keep us accountable. There is only one valid rule in poetry club: there are no rules in poetry club. Read any poem, in any order, with any or no interactions. You decide. We only suggest you read poetry!
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This is such a beautiful poem to read this morning right after 30 Aug: "Do it Anyway" by Mother Teresa. In this, Dickinson is on the hard-headed side of fate looking from the outside of the body inward...to the depths that possibly make the reason behind the reason pause and choose. The feminist "Soul" is such a wonderfully personified character in this poem and, again, we can relate so very well to this feeling of being pulled and pushed by something within- and then, also, want to "Then-close the Valves of her attention-Like stone- MY FAVORITE LINE!!!! I had to look up the proper definition of "ample"- and it means enough, or more than enough; plentiful. I also really appreciate the original punctuation of this poem as Dickinson wrote in her journals. I have been reading a lot of tidbits about her life and how the editors often took these dashes out, which absolutely changes the entire meaning of some of her poems...I adore the fact that they represent "thought-spacers" and my mind is really able to read her well.
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