Click on the pictures to see enlarged versions of the images.

Monday, January 2, 2012

this is my letter to the World


(Leaves by Séraphine Louis de Senlis, 1864-1942,
French painter)

This month we will be looking at ars poetica, the art of poetry. We will be considering the nature of poetry and the way poets work.

Words, the what and the how of them, do matter.

To learn more about the power of words,
click here.

This is my letter to the World
That never wrote to Me —
The simple News that Nature told —
With tender Majesty

Her Message committed
To Hands I cannot see —
For love of Her — Sweet — countrymen —
Judge tenderly — of Me

~ Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), American poet

3 comments:

Thomas D said...

I remember once, years ago, hearing an Italian-American poet read his translation of this poem into Italian. The last lovely line has stayed with me these twenty years and more: "giudicatemi con tenerezza"!

Thomas D said...

And that was a great video!

GatheringBooks said...

Emily Dickinson - I should have guessed from the first two lines. :) I like your theme for the month - I've always been interested in the nature of poetry - and the entire creative process that lies behind the weaving of words together through verse. Love the artwork too! :)