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Gillian Perry

Professor Shoptaw

English 190

December 12th, 2016

Birdsong: How Emily Dickinson Found her Voice as Nature’s Prophet

One of Emily Dickinson’s quintessential poems reads, “Hope is a thing with feathers-

”(Franklin 314). Though she writes of all blossoms and bees, the most prominent natural figure

in Dickinson’s poems is that of the bird. From the common songbird to the great wide-eyed owl,

Dickinson characterizes, idolizes, admires, and emulates all kinds of birds in her poetry. Through

her personification of specific birds, and the rhythmic reflection of birdsong in the metrics of her

poetry, Dickinson’s reader is able to imagine the various characters that made up her world. Over

the course of her poetic career, Dickinson’s bird poetry shifts from an inclusion of herself in

Nature, to an external appreciation for birds and their song, revealing the evolution of

Dickinson’s vision of herself as a poet in a world ruled by the beauty and simplicity of Nature.

Dickinson’s fondness for specific birds is illustrated in how her poetry differs in metrical

forms and tones for different birds, representing the various birdsongs, and people, that

Dickinson appreciated and experienced. With nearly fifteen percent of Dickinson’s poems

containing birds, being 264 of 1789 poems (Skinner 107), Dickinson was clearly inspired by all

the birds that she surrounded herself with, as her various nods to them proves that she was

knowledgable in their habitats, migratory patterns, and appearances. As Schuman and Hodgkin

explain, it is this variety that proves how carefully Dickinson observed the world around her,

how birds served as her ultimate inspiration, and even represented people she may have known.

For example, Franklin’s poem #728 reads, “The Judge is like the Owl.” This poem characterizes

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“The Judge” as an owl who “builds in Oaks-.” The poem was written in 1863, a time when

Dickinson was in contact with her good friend T.W. Higginson. He had left to command a

regiment in the war, and frequently read and critiqued her poetry. In a letter to him written in

February 1863 she asks “Should you, before this reaches you, experience immortality, who will

inform me of the Exchange?”(Johnson 280). As Higginson frequently critiqued Dickinson’s

work, could he be the “Judge” who assumes the archetypically wise figure of the owl? As the

poem reads “I only ask for a Tune/ At Midnight-Let the Owl select/ His favorite Refrain,”

(Franklin 728) could this be Dickinson asking for a sign that Higginson is alive and well?

In the suggestion that this poem is personifying Higginson as an owl, Dickinson is

proving the influence of birds on her personal poetic voice. By asking for a “Refrain,” Dickinson

is asking not only for the beauty of the owl’s birdsong, but also for guidance. As the owl sits in

an “…Amber sill/That slanted in my Path-” (Fr 728) the owl seems to serve as a natural stopping

point in the speaker’s “Path,” as it follows the “slant.” This is further emphasized in the form of

the poem as the dash following “Path” provides a stop for the reader as well. Each subsequent

dash then serves to create the lines to be small building blocks, informing the speaker who is on

her way to “ask a Tune.” If the owl is Higginson, these advisory verses make sense, as they

guide the speaker to the owl, Dickinson to Higginson, in hopes for counsel for her poetry and the

news that he is alive. As the owl’s “Tune” could also be interpreted to be his guidance,

Dickinson sets up a parallel between birdsong and counsel. By looking for advice from a bird,

Dickinson is putting herself in the Natural world alongside the birds, learning from them, in a

state that she can only reach as a poet. Elevating birds and their songs to be consultative,

Dickinson is introducing the religious appreciation she has for birds, which is evident in much of

her later poetry (see Franklin #402, #236 as discussed later, even #314, as “Hope” could have

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religious undertones, as seen in 1 Corinthians 13:13: “Faith, Hope, Love.”) Written in short

meter, and with a dash at the end of nearly every line, this poem mirrors the consistency and

simplicity of the owl’s signature hoot, seeking metrical guidance from birdsong. Many other

Dickinson poems reflect the calls of the birds they feature.

The shrill calls of a Jay are illustrated in “A prompt-executive Bird is the Jay-.” (Fr

1022) As the Jay is “Bold as a Bailiff’s Hymn-/ Brittle and Brief in quality-” Dickinson is

essentially defining the Jay as his screeching call. The alliteration of “Bold” “Bailiff” “Brittle”

and “Brief” forces the reader to stop and truly pronounce the consonants, and the dashes at the

end of each line present sharp stops, reminiscent of the sharp shrieks of a Jay. These stops only

serve to reinforce the militant, triumphant image that Dickinson creates for the Jay as he gives

“Warrant in every line-,” and sits on “…a Bough like a Brigadier/ Confident and straight-.”(Fr

1022). The assertive image of the Jay would not be nearly as effective without the rhythmic

stops of the poetry, as the actuality of the bird call reinforces the metaphorical image that

Dickinson is presenting to the reader. At the time this poem was composed (1865), The

American Civil War was quickly approaching its end. According to an official civil war timeline,

this year brought many key wins for the Union including the Fall of Petersburg and Richmond,

as well as surrender of the Confederacy at Appomattox. March 4th, 1865 also brought the

second inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln. The regal presentation of the Jay, as “Good

is the look of him in March,” as well as the time of the composition of the poem seem to suggest

that this poem could be about none other than President Lincoln. By describing the Jay as a

“Brigadier,” and a “Bailiff,” Dickinson is imparting a legal significance to the Jay. Lincoln is

similarly “prompt,” “Bold,” and “Confident and straight-,” and seemed to reach the peak of his

presidency in March of 1865, just as the poem suggests of the Jay. This is further suggested by

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the fact that the war took a definite turn in the Union’s direction, and Lincoln was inaugurated as

president. Therefore, Lincoln stood “As a Benefit” (Fr 1022) for the whole of the Nation, his

presidency a cry for Justice and Peace, as triumphant and shrill as that of the Jay. However,

Dickinson’s use of the word “Benefit” offers a few different readings. Dickinson’s webster on

the Emily Dickinson lexicon defines “benefit” both in religious terms, as “a favor conferred.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,” and in legal terms which is defined as

the “benefit of clergy.” This adds a layer of religious significance to the Jay, and to the suggested

figure Lincoln, and represents an exalting tone that is a common feature in much of her other

bird poetry. Dickinson’s use of birds and their calls to characterize the people who made up her

world proves the influence of birds to both the form and content of her poetry, and begs the

question: how did Dickinson fit into this world with her feathered friends?

To insert herself in the narrative of birds she created to animate her world, Dickinson

had to be knowledgeable on the differences that defined certain bird species. As a bird

enthusiast, Dickinson could definitely tell the difference between bird calls, which she describes

in many of her letters. According to some of her letters, She heard “The Jays bark like Blue

Terriers,” the Robins sing “deliciously,” and was very cognizant of the vocal and rhythmic

patterns of many more bird varieties. It is this awareness that shapes the manner in which

Dickinson’s poems are read. Mindful of the distinction between the varieties of birds, Dickinson

could accurately emulate their calls in her poetry, shaping and reinforcing images such as the

“executive” Jay. However, Dickinson did not identity with every call, and was particularly

sensitive to certain bird calls, even describing them in other poems in language similar to

describe assault. One her Dickinson’s undated poems reads, “And then he lifted up his Throat/

And squandered such a Note/ A Universe that overheard/ Is stricken by it yet-.”(Fr 1663). Words

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such as “throat,” “squandered,” and “stricken” reinforce a harsh, hard hitting sound to the poem,

giving it a tone of shock and anguish. Therefore, the initial birdlike guise that Dickinson presents

for herself as a poet greatly differs from that of the Jay, the Judge, or the afflicted birds of her

later poetry ; instead Dickinson is soft and shy, like a hummingbird or a Phoebe.

Dickinson’s inclusion of herself in the world of birds began as an alternative to religion.

This is most evident in the poem below: Some keep the Sabbath going to Church –

I keep it, staying at Home – With a Bobolink for a Chorister –

And an Orchard, for a Dome – Some keep the Sabbath in Surplice –

I, just wear my Wings – And instead of tolling the Bell, for Church,

Our little Sexton – sings. God preaches, a noted Clergyman –

And the sermon is never long, So instead of getting to Heaven, at last –

I’m going, all along. (Fr 236)

Never an avid church goer, Dickinson found her Sabbath “…staying at Home-/ With a

Bobolink for a Chorister-/ And an Orchard, for a Dome-.” The inconsistency of meter in this

poem contrasted with the ABCB rhyme scheme of every stanza offers an interesting overall

sound to the poem. Consistent end rhymes and dashes give the introductory stanza a hovering

feel, as though the metrics of the lines may vary, they always end on a stop (dash) and are

regular in their rhymes. Just as a bobolink may spend varying amount of time hovering around

possible landing spots, he always finds a resting place, just as the poem always finds a stop and a

rhyme. Further reinforcing the light twittering tone of the poem is the fact that it is written in

triple meter. The triplet patterns reinforce a musicality and lightness reminiscent of birdsong.

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This proves the bird’s prominence in Dickinson’s perception of Nature, as well as the influence

of birdlike actions and sounds to the formation of the musicality of Dickinson’s verse. This poem

is also Dickinson’s clear introduction of herself into Nature. She describes it as while “Some

keep the Sabbath in Surplice-/ I [Dickinson], just wear my Wings-.” (Fr 236) The poem’s focus

on Dickinson herself, and how she fits in with Nature, is emphasized in the contrastive syllables

of “Some” and “I” in both the first and second stanza. This is especially evident in the second

stanza as the “I” is isolated from the rest of the line with a comma, purposefully emphasizing it.

Therefore, her place in Nature is with those whose wings she adorns. Just as “Our little Sexton-

sings” so does Dickinson sing her verses in poetry.

However, it is definitely notable that this entire poem poses Nature as its own religion,

rather than simply as an appreciation for Nature and Dickinson’s place in it. As the first two

stanzas introduce “Some” and “I” the third begins with an introduction to “God.” Situated at the

end of the poem and thereby suggesting godliness as a final realization of self, this is

Dickinson’s way of informing the reader that she has her own version of “God” who aids in her

realization that “…instead of getting to Heaven, at last-/ I’m going, all along”(Fr 263). So,

Nature, in its beauty and simplicity is Dickinson’s own definition of Heaven. She sees salvation

not as a destination, but as an experience in the present, where she can sing her Graces, write her

poetry, and wear her wings. In this manner, Dickinson presents herself in an angelic light, as she

takes on wings and song, which while birdlike, is also representative of biblical angels.

Encompassing all the Dickinson appreciates and is inspired by, this poem sets up a series of

other bird poems which further specify how Dickinson sees herself both as a poet and as an

individual in the world of Nature.

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Rather than just “wearing her wings,” Dickinson grew to appreciate certain species of

birds and even to personify herself as certain varieties in her poetry. The first that Dickinson

closely explores is that of the hummingbird. Dickinson was not alone in her exploration of

hummingbirds at this time. Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Martin Johnson Heade

among others wrote on the quick movement and dynamism of the hummingbird, sometimes even

setting music to their signature humming. This could be, as Christopher Benfey argues, a result

of the disillusionment following the Civil War. As Benfey suggests in the introduction to his

work, hummingbirds in their quick movement, unconventional songs, and as Dickinson states,

their “evanescence,” seemed to perfectly express the instability and desperation for a new form

of beauty following the Civil War.

Dickinson’s fascination with these special little birds is first seen in “Within my Garden,

rides a Bird” (Fr 370) written in 1862. Though the poem never explicitly states that it is about a

hummingbird, the description that the bird rides, “Opon a single Wheel-/ Whose spokes a dizzy

music make/ As ‘twere a traveling Mill-” (Fr 370) that he has a “Fairy gig” and produces

“vibrating Blossoms” all point to the quick flight of a hummingbird. The bird’s dizzying flight

fascinates Dickinson as she observes “He never stops, but slackens/ Above the Ripest Rose-.”

The irony of the fascinated, ephemeral tone of the poem is the fact that it is written in a simple

common meter. This could Dickinson’s manner of emphasizing the ordinary in the extraordinary,

finding beauty in the simplicity of Nature. Dickinson finds joy, delight, and wonder from her

simple observations of this bird who “bore the Garden in the Brain/ This Curiosity.” She even

relates her observations to be a religious experience in her realization of the “vibrating

Blossoms” as “An exquisite Reply!”. The almost magical coming and going of the bird seems

nothing short of Divine, as the only evidence of the bird’s presence is the blossoms vibrating

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after the bird has left. This could be Dickinson’s comment on the delicacy of Faith. Once again

in her Natural church, Dickinson is using a flighty hummingbird to prove that she sees the Holy

Spirit as something that comes and goes, and one has to trust their own volition to confirm its

existence. Though Dickinson may not be particularly religious, she definitely utilizes religious

imagery, and plays into the idea that traditionally, birds are symbols of the Divine (in

Christianity, symbols of the Holy Spirit). This poem lays the groundwork for a greater

exploration of hummingbirds in Dickinson’s poetry, and even for Dickinson’s own identification

with these specific birds.

“A Route of Evanescence” is one of Dickinson’s greatest defining poems of her poetic

voice. The Poem reads:

A Route of Evanescence, With a revolving Wheel –

A Resonance of Emerald A Rush of Cochineal –

And every Blossom on the Bush Adjusts it’s tumbled Head – The Mail from Tunis – probably,

An easy Morning’s Ride –

(Fr 1489) She sent it to seven correspondents including Mabel Todd and Thomas Niles (an editor at

Roberts Brothers), which allowed it greater circulation than any of her other poems. What makes

this poem such an impeccable indicator of Dickinson? Why was this poem in particular one she

was so immensely proud of? The answer lies in the poem’s simplicity and complexity, its

combination between riddle and definition form, the fact that it is a depiction of her favorite

subject, birds. The brilliance in this poem lies in its subtlety. If the reader puts together “A

Resonance of Emerald/ A Rush of Cochineal-” and the “Revolving Wheel” metaphor for the

hummingbird’s wings also found in “Opon a Single Wheel,”(Fr 370) then they are able to solve

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the riddle of the subject of the poem. The quick words such as “Rush” and “Resonance” emulate

the humming that comes of a flapping hummingbird’s wings and tail, proving the subject of the

hummingbird even more so, and birdsong and flight to be just as prevalent to this poem as they

are to earlier bird poems. However, the subject still doesn’t fully explain the paradoxical

introduction, “A Route of Evanescence.” As “Evanescence” is described by Emily Dickinson

Lexicon as “A vanishing,” the idea of something as a “Route” to disappearance does not seem to

make much sense. However, it perfectly encompasses the quick flight of a hummingbird, as its

flight is so quick it could be perceived as a path to disappearance. It is in this way that this

paradox serves as a definition, and the riddle—which conventionally serves as a direct

opposition to definition—becomes the manner of defining the subject of the poem. This

Dickinsonian riddle has built-in definitions, as the hummingbird is defined by “…every Blossom

on the Bush” as each “Adjusts it’s tumbled Head-,” which aids the reader in realizing the awe-

inspiring subject of the hummingbird. To further mystify the subject of the hummingbird in

addition to the riddle format of the poem, Dickinson refers to the hummingbird as “The Mail

from Tunis.” This is a Shakespearian allusion to The Tempest when Antonio describes how far

away the King’s daughter whom he wishes to marry is: "She that is Queen of Tunis; she that

dwells / Ten leagues beyond man's life; she that from Naples / Can have no note, unless the sun

were post.” (II, I, 212-215). This allusion only further separates the hummingbird from the

viewer, as she is referring to both time out of mind for the reader (Shakespearian works) and for

the hummingbird. It is in this manner that Dickinson creates her subject as mysterious and

ephemeral, seeking to be understood, but gone in a flash. Is this how Dickinson saw herself and

her poetry?

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Dickinson’s circulation of this poem suggests that she indefinitely identified with its

subject. When sending it around, she sometimes signed the poem as “Humming-Bird,” as though

she were the poem’s fleeting subject. This poem could serve as a window to how Dickinson saw

herself in the poetic world. Rather than the fact that this was one of her most public poems, and

therefore this poem portrayed the voice that she wanted much of the world to read her in, was the

fact that the Hummingbird’s depiction in the poem seemed to hint at the light which Dickinson

saw herself most clearly in. Just as the Hummingbird moves fleetingly, so does Dickinson move

from poetic subject to subject, leaving poems often times on envelopes and scraps of paper in

addition to her normal stationary. Though she grouped her poems in fascicles, in the peak of her

poetry writing years (1862-1865), her subjects often varied greatly as she commented on

anything from Death to Marriage, Nature to Religion. Also, the elusive last line concerning

“Mail from Tunis,” could also be a comment on Dickinson’s love of letters. As letters were her

major way of “publishing” her poetry, letters to Dickinson could also seem to be like little

migratory birds, humming with words. An “easy Morning’s Ride-” could easily be read as, as

Benfey suggest, an easy morning’s read. Dickinson could see herself as this flighty, fleeting

little bird, only memorialized in her poetry, her own version of the “vibrating Blossoms,” that

seem to be gone just as soon as they have come.

While Hummingbirds may be a favorite of Dickinson, she also identified with a variety

of other song birds, as she seemed to be most deeply affected by bird song. In a later poem

written in 1865, Dickinson writes: “I was a Phebe - nothing more -/ A Phebe - nothing less”

I was a Phebe—nothing more— A Phebe—nothing less—

The little note that others dropt I fitted into place—

I dwelt too low that any seek—

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Too shy, that any blame— A Pheebe makes a little print

Upon the Floors of Fame—

(Fr 1009)

She most likely writes of an Eastern Phoebe, a plump songbird, found year-round around

Amherst. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Eastern Phoebe’s raspy “phoebe” call

is a frequent sound around yards and farms in spring and summer. They are found on prominent,

low perches, and often build mud and grass nests in the nooks of barns and houses, making them

a familiar species to humans. The commonality of this bird, in addition to the common meter in

which this poem is written, serves to reinforce the commonality to which Dickinson sees herself

as a poet. Just like the phoebe, “The little note that others dropt/ I [Dickinson] fitted into place-,”

as she, as a poet, turned the words (“notes”) that others may disregard into poetry (“place”).

Also, having not published much of her poetry in her lifetime, she “dwelt too low that any seek,”

and just as the phoebe is “Too shy” so is she. Dwelling low and yet occasionally contributing to

the chorus of songbirds, Phoebes represent a balance between fame and privacy that Dickinson

sought to achieve in her poetry. Dickinson sees her voice as a poet just like the Phoebe’s

“…little print/ Opon the Floors of Fame-.”

In addition to the shyness from Fame, Dickinson also identifies with the musicality of the

phoebe’s song. The fitting of “little notes,” as well as the interlinear dashes between “-nothing

more-” and “-nothing less-,” represent the musicality of the Phoebe’s song, as they are known to

make little “peeping” chirps in addition to their long calls. The two-parted songs of males

represent what they were named for as they often sound like the syllables of their name, “fee-

bee.” This trochaic call differs from the iambic verse of “I was a Phebe” therefore distinguishing

Dickinson apart from the birds that she emulates in this poem. However, being that only males

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sing this distinguishing song, the iambic verse could act as a female counter to the male’s song.

As Dickinson is one of the few enduring female poets from this time, this poem could also be an

ode to her unique song as a woman, which opposes the male troches. While Dickinson clearly

identifies herself with this little bird, it is important to note that the first line reads, “I was a

Phebe..” implying that her identification with the Phoebe is a thing of the past. This tone of

separation, the transition from someone included in the world of birds to an exalted observer, is

evident in much of Dickinson’s later bird poetry.

Dickinson’s realization of her imminent death, as well as the death of those around her,

led her poetry to take a significantly darker turn in the late 1870’s. This transition is evident in

the paradoxical “One Joy of so much anguish/ Sweet Nature has for me-”(Fr 1450). In observing

“Sweet Nature” as something to “shun” as “I do Despair/ Or dear iniquity-,” Dickinson is

offering a new angle on her usual exaltation of Nature. No longer is she including herself in the

world of birds, but instead their calls “Should stab my ravished Spirit/ With Dirks of Melody”

(Fr 1450). The harsh tone of words “stab” and “Dirks” haltingly return Dickinson to the world of

humanity, as she feels she will understand the harshness of these calls “When Flesh and Spirit

sunder/ In Death’s immediately-“ (Fr 1450). Written again in common meter, Dickinson is

realizing her own commonality and the fact that she too will reach her end, just like every other

human. However, she also recognizes the beauty she finds in Nature, and is now questioning

how something that has brought her so much wonder in the past, is now something nothing short

of torturous. So, while her end may be unavoidable, she also believes the answers to the puzzles

of Nature lie in its wake. Death may bring the answers to why she is no longer one with the

hummingbird on its “Route to Evanescence,” (Fr 1489) or wearing her wings in her “Sabbath,”

(Fr 263) but instead suffering the “Dirks of Melody”(Fr 1450). A transition in stanzaic form

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could also offer answers to this change in tone. This poem was written towards the end of her

poetic career, much later than the years which Dickinson was at the peak of her writing career.

Consequently, it is possible that the suffering of her “ravished Spirit” could be the loss of her

previous poetic voice, as she no longer can find a consistency in melody and rhythm. This could

lead to a continuity of verse, and no stanzaic separation. Nevertheless, the fact that the poem

remains in common verse, despite its lack of separation, offers a similar irony to the

contradictory first line— it proves that rhythmic and stanzaic consistency are not as interlinked

as the Dickinson reader may have previously thought.

Dickinson’s transition in tone and form is further proven in her later bird poetry, as she

moves further and further away from the subject she so admires. A poem that begins “No

Brigadier throughout the Year” (Fr 1596) returns to the familiar subject of the “executive Bird”

(Fr 1022) of the Jay. Once again described as a “Brigadier” and “civic,” Dickinson presents a

similar description of the Jay as seen in her earlier poems. However, the subtle differences in

description and poetic form evident as the poem continues, distinguish the Jay as a figure beyond

humanity, and bares no trace to the earlier comparison to Lincoln. This is evident beginning in

the second rhyming set (as again there is no stanzaic separation, yet consistent end rhymes that

suggest severance), as the Jay is “Pursuing Winds that censure us,” and is “The Brother of the

Universe/…never blown away-.” This description suggests that the Jay is beyond humanity as he

is able to chase the facets of Nature (“Winds”) that limit others, the “us” being humans. In

contrast to her earlier poems, Dickinson is including herself in this “us,” grouping herself with

humans outside of Nature, outside of birds. This is further reinforced in the wonderful image of

the Jay playing in the Snow, as they are “intimate,” while contrastingly, “Heaven looked upon us

all/With such severity.” These phrases link the Jay with Heaven, while also separating humans

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from the spiritual, as it looks upon them with “severity.” The Jay is a defiant form of Nature, so

much so that Dickinson believes “…apology were due” to the “insulted sky.” As he is able to

rise above the road blocks of snow and wind, Dickinson believes that he is beyond the influence

of Nature, giving the Jay a divine significance. It is this admiration that allows her to reach the

conclusion that “Unfair an Immortality/ That leaves this Neighbor out-,” which is to say that

Heaven would be incomplete with the defiant, militant Jay whom rules side by side with Nature.

By describing this Jay to be a “Neighbor” of Nature, and grouping herself in the “us” that

suffers from the “insulted sky,” Dickinson is again representing her relationship with birds as

less of an inclusive experience, but instead as one of admiration and severance. The last line

grouping could be read differently under this conviction. “Immortality,” rather than the Heaven

the Jay scoffs at, could be considered to be Dickinson’s poetic fame. She may feel it is her

responsibility to portray “His Character-a Tonic-/ His future-a Dispute-” (Fr 1596) as her poetic

collection would be incomplete without his bold, daring personality. So, Dickinson’s job is no

longer to be at one with the birds in her representation of them, but instead to include their

unique characters in her poetry, though she is not a member of their community. She, in fact,

may be a “Neighbor,” that is “left out,” as the last line suggests. In her complete and beautiful

representation of this bird, Dickinson leaves herself out of the equation, representing the Jay as

his own individual that she appreciates rather than embodies. Though her representation of birds

has always been tied to a tone of appreciation, the transition of Dickinson’s role in their world

from a participant to that of an observer leads to a different commentary on her role as a poet in

Nature.

Dickinson often used the subject of birds to define her voice as a poet, to set her place in

Nature and the poetic world. “Conferring with myself” (Fr 1739) presents a direct comparison

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between the manner in which Dickinson views her career paralleled with her observations of a

“travelling Bird.” The poem introduces Dickinson, “Conferring with myself/ My stranger

disappeared/ Though first upon a berry fat/ Miraculously fared.” (Fr 1739) This “stranger” is a

bird visitor, revealed through its mission for a “berry fat.” Initially notable is the fact that

Dickinson refers to this bird as a stranger. Just as she separates herself from the world of the Jay,

and how she “was” a Phoebe, Dickinson seems to realize that she is a very separate being from

the world of birds and Nature. This is further enforced in the second rhyming group, “How paltry

looked my cares/ My practice how absurd/ Superfluous my whole career/ Beside this traveling

Bird” (Fr 1739). By describing her cares as “paltry,” her career as “superfluous,” Dickinson is

once again putting the bird she is observing above her, in almost a religious manner, as in its

presence she seems to realize that there is something greater than her cares, her career.

Consistent with earlier bird poems in its tone of religious appreciation, this poem differs in the

underlying tone of absolute difference between Dickinson and her subject. Thus, Dickinson is

focusing on herself not in tune with Nature, but below it, outside of it. She is so completely

separate, that the fleeting presence of a bird causes her to realize her career may be insignificant

in a larger context. The fact that the bird is “travelling” is also significant in that, just as the

evanescence of the hummingbird, Dickinson is able to realize the fleeting nature of life. In the

long scheme of mortality and immortality, how much importance will Dickinson’s career truly

hold? This poem sticks out not only as a direct commentary by Dickinson on her own career, but

also in its complete lack of dashes. If life is swift and fleeting, there must be no room for stops,

just like this poem. Also written in short meter, this poem is Dickinson’s claim that life is short

and transient, dependent on small moments of beauty to continue, just like this small migrant

bird in simple pursuit of a berry.

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The culmination of Dickinson’s religious appreciation for birds and their song, her

manner of placing birds in defiance of Nature, and her distance from both Nature and birds, all

come together in an undated poem, “High from the earth I heard a bird;” (Fr 1778). Even from

the first line, a tone of separation is evident. As the bird is “High from the earth,” Dickinson is

already looking up to see him, setting up a power dynamic. Also, the fact that she “heard” him

rather than saw him, implies the importance of bird song, both in and out of a poetic context. As

Dickinson was definitely influenced by birdsong in the metrics and musicality of her poetry, it is

interesting to note that this poem is written in a common verse. Being that the variety of bird is

not specified, the commonality in verse could refer to the commonality of songbirds, and the fact

that Dickinson sees all varieties in an equally exalted light. The bird’s position in Nature is

definitely in tune with the defiant Jay, as he “trod upon trees/ As he esteemed them trifles,” and

when he sits, it is, “Upon a pile of wind/ Which in a perturbation/ Nature had left behind” (Fr

1778). Diction such as “trifles,” and “perturbation,” imply that the bird is even above that of

Nature. This is further emphasized by the religious language later in the poem. Dickinson

describes his “talk” of “benediction” and even calls him “…the faithful father/ Of a dependent

brood.” Emily Dickinson lexicon describes benediction as “the act of a blessing,” and implies

that his “talk” could be along the same vein as a sermon. As a “father” of a “brood,” Dickinson is

giving this bird a God-like significance as, just like the Heavenly father, he has followers who

see him in a paternal light.

The final rhyming group, as this poem also has no stanzaic separation, offers the most

interesting reading on Dickinson’s relationship with Nature, birds, and her place in the poetic

world. It reads:

And this untoward transport His remedy for care,-

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A contrast to our respites How different we are!

This set of lines essentially implies that this bird remains joyous and moving forward, even when

joined by his brood, a condition that humans do not share. Dickinson seems to imply that humans

enjoy solitary success, and often are unhappy with large amounts of imitation. Birds rely on

imitation, and the chorus of all their voices, to communicate. Dickinson realizes this and puts

herself and this bird in direct contrast, declaring finally “How different we are!” This could also

be a greater comment on the nature of Dickinson’s poetry. As she was definitely influenced by

the voices of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, William Blake, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, Dickinson

was contributing her voice to the chorus of various other poetic songs. Dickinson’s poetry on

Nature, poetics, and circumference draws influence from Emerson’s “Nature,” “Circles,” and

“The Poet.” Also, as Browning was another female poet, Dickinson definitely drew influence

from her, and greater evidence can be seen Franklin #448, #600, and #788. However, her unique

poetic form which includes a heavy use of dashes, and also her gender, definitely sets her apart.

In stating “How different we are!” Dickinson is not only referring to the difference between birds

and humans, but also between herself and other poets. Even further separating herself from the

birds, complacent to sing together in imitation, Dickinson is asserting her individuality as a poet.

Though she may draw a lot of inspiration from the figure of the bird, as well as the beauty of

their song, by the end of her career, Dickinson recognizes herself as a separate entity who will

use her unique voice to properly immortalize her own vision of birds and of Nature.

Throughout her poetic career, the figure of birds influenced much of Emily Dickinson’s

work. As she grew into her poetic voice, she portrayed birds in a variety of different lights. First,

as characters in her own world, using the descriptions and behaviors of the different species she

regularly observed to portray the people she surrounded herself with. From the “Judge…like the

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Owl” to the “Rush of Emerald” of the Hummingbird, Dickinson’s poetic strength lies in her

beautiful descriptions, breathing life into everyday songbirds, giving them unique personalities.

Not only was Dickinson inspired by the personalities and appearances of the birds around her,

but also their distinct rhythmic songs. By imitating the specific sounds of bird calls and songs,

Dickinson was able to truly embody the birds which she discussed so admirably in her poetry,

causing her poems to live and breath just as the birds she presents. This variety in rhythm set the

stage for Dickinson’s developing poetic voice, as her variable use of dashes and punctuation, as

well as the differing metrics, represent the range of musicality that Dickinson is able to produce

in her poetry. It is through this variety that Dickinson explores her own place in the Natural

world, and the poetic world. She sees birds as first a part of the “Sabbath” of Nature, but later as

creatures who defy the vehicles that Nature provides for them. First identifying directly with

birds, then observing them as divine, to finally placing them on a pedestal far above herself and

her place in the world, Dickinson finds herself by the end of her poetic career—as an ambassador

of Nature. She sees her poetry as the ultimate conduit to preserving the beauty and character of

the birds she so admires, and she comes to the realization that she does not need to be a part of

their world to appreciate it. The natural world to Dickinson is her religion, poetry is her Grace,

birds are her God. Birds serve as the vehicle in Dickinson’s discovery of her place in the both the

poetic and Natural world, as the evolution of her illustration of them is in tune with the evolution

of her own song.

Emily Dickinson uses birds as her ultimate inspiration, as their various songs represent

beauty and voice both for Nature and for her. Throughout her career, Dickinson characterizes

birds and grows further apart from them, recognizing their divinity and her role as their prophet.

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Works Cited

Benfey, Christopher E. G. A Summer of Hummingbirds: Love, Art, and Scandal in the Intersecting Worlds of Emily Dickinson, Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Martin

Johnson Heade. New York: Penguin, 2008. Print.

Dickinson, Emily, Jo Miles. Schuman, and Joanna Bailey. Hodgman. A Spicing of Birds: Poems by Emily Dickinson. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan UP, 2010. xvi. Print.

Dickinson, Emily. Selected Letters. Ed. Thomas H. Johnson. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 1996. 182. Print.

Dickinson, Emily. The Poems of Emily Dickinson. Ed. R. W. Franklin. Cambridge: Belknap, 1999. Print.

Emily Dickinson Lexicon. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.

Life History, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2016.

Skinner, J. "Birds in Dickinson’s Words." The Emily Dickinson Journal, vol. 20 no. 2, 2011. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/edj.2011.0019.

United States. National Park Service. "Civil War Timeline." National Parks Service. U.S.

Department of the Interior, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.