Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson was an American poet. She was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1830. She wrote almost 1,800 poems. She is now considered one of America's greatest poets, but almost none of her poems were published while she was alive.

Early Life

Dickinson grew up in a prominent family in Amherst. She attended school but eventually stayed home most of the time. She was shy and rarely left her house. She spent her days writing poems and letters.

Big Achievements

Dickinson wrote nearly 1,800 poems on small pieces of paper. She sewed many of them into little booklets. Only about 10 of her poems were published during her lifetime. After she died, her sister discovered her collection. Her poems about nature, death, and love are now considered masterpieces.

Fun Facts

• Dickinson often dressed only in white.
• She communicated with friends mostly through letters rather than in person.
• She wrote many of her poems on the backs of envelopes and other scraps of paper.

Did You Know?

Dickinson lived a very quiet life, but her poems are full of big ideas. She wrote about death, nature, faith, and the human mind. Today she is one of the most studied poets in the world.