Preparation Task #2

The following verses are out of order - can you reorder them? Bring your completed poem to the next lesson. You are learning about narrative structure and familiarising yourself with Dickinson's style.

Follow up questions in class will include:

· How does Dickinson employ punctuation?

· Why does she only rhyme (using half rhymes/slant rhymes/imperfect rhymes) the second and fourth lines of the verses?

 

Poem 520

And He -- He followed -- close behind --

I felt his Silver Heel
Upon my Ankle -- Then my Shoes
Would overflow with Pearl --

 

Until We met the Solid Town --
No One He seemed to know --
And bowing -- with a Mighty look --
At me -- The Sea withdrew --

 

But no Man moved Me -- till the Tide

Went past my simple Shoe --

And past my Apron -- and my Belt --

And past my Bodice -- too --

 

And made as He would eat me up --

As wholly as a Dew

Upon a Dandelion's Sleeve --

And then -- I started -- too --

 

And Frigates -- in the Upper Floor

Extended Hempen Hands --
Presuming Me to be a Mouse --
Aground -- upon the Sands --

 

I started Early -- Took my Dog --

And visited the Sea --
The Mermaids in the Basement
Came out to look at me --

 

Preparation Task #1

Ahead of our next lesson pick a poem to investigate in from the list below.  These are the set poems by OCR.  The large dashes are intentional, just in case you were wondering.

 

1.       There’s a certain Slant of light
2.       I felt a Funeral, in my Brain
3.       A Bird came down the Walk –
4.       After great pain, a formal feeling comes –
5.       I heard a Fly buzz – when I died –
6.       Going to Him! Happy letter!
7.       This World is not Conclusion
8.       It was not Death, for I stood up
9.       One need to be a Chamber – to be Haunted –
10.   Because I could not stop for Death
11.   Behind Me – dips Eternity –
12.   My Life had stood – a loaded Gun –
13.   A narrow Fellow in the Grass
14.   The last Night that She lived
15.   What mystery pervades a well!

 

Look, also, at the life and times of Dickinson