against orthodoxy - more dickinson

' her refusal to compromise her highly condensed expression and idiosyncratic punctuation meant that her works were mangled by editors until she withdrew from ' the auction' of publication. at the time of her death in 1886 only about one percent of her 1,775 known poems had been published. in 1955 an accurate edition finally appeared.'


Publication -- is the Auction
Of the Mind of Man --
Poverty -- be justifying
For so foul a thing

Possibly -- but We -- would rather
From Our Garret go
White -- Unto the White Creator --
Than invest -- Our Snow --

Thought belong to Him who gave it --
Then -- to Him Who bear
Its Corporeal illustration -- Sell
The Royal Air --

In the Parcel -- Be the Merchant
Of the Heavenly Grace --
But reduce no Human Spirit
To Disgrace of Price --


'as a religious sceptic since adolescense in a community whose social and spiritual life was based on churchgoing and revivalism, she wrote many poems about being shut out of a lost heaven.' helen mcneil - editor of the everyman's poetry
dickinson collection. the book has a great chronology of both the poets life and of her times.


The Bible is an antique Volume --
Written by faded men
At the suggestion of Holy Spectres --
Subjects -- Bethlehem --
Eden -- the ancient Homestead --
Satan -- the Brigadier --
Judas -- the Great Defaulter --
David -- the Troubador --
Sin -- a distinguished Precipice
Others must resist --
Boys that "believe" are very lonesome --
Other Boys are "lost" --
Had but the Tale a warbling Teller --
All the Boys would come --
Orpheus' Sermon captivated --
It did not condemn --