Lyric Life

One of the first lyric poems Dickinson sent to her correspondent and friend Thomas Wentworth Higginson, this small sixteen-liner offers a glimpse of this almost inscrutable poet at work and begs the reader to enter the poetic space with her--before, of course, leaving the reader all alone in the emptiness. Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as I offer another episode on LYRIC LIFE devoted to one of my all-time favorite poets, Emily Dickinson. This one was of the first poems she chose to circulate beyond her family. It's a glimpse into her world, her work--and a playful push away, too.