The Pocket Emily Dickinson

Book excerpt: Emily Dickinson is widely considered to be one of the greatest of American poets. The aphoristic style and wit of much of her verse, its irregular rhymes, directness of expression, and startling imagery have had a profound effect on twentieth-century literature. Over a hundred of Dickinson’s best poems are collected here. These unique and gemlike lyrics are pure distillations of profound feeling and great intellect. They contain a world of imagination, observation, and precisely articulated spiritual and emotional experience. As editor Brenda Hillman says, this small and succinct collection can serve as a guidebook to readers who are exploring the highs and lows of the human experience.