When reading Dickinson, I could not help but see the differences between her and another great American poet--Walt Whitman. Both Whitman and Dickinson are considered "one of the greatest"; however their works are so different.
One of the most obvious differences is with the style and structure of their poems. One great example of the style and structure of Whitman's poems can be seen in "Song of Myself". In this poem we see how long his poetry can be (almost to the point of rambling) and also the free-verse style of his poems. The poem is broken up into 52 sections, and each section shows his writing style.
[From Section 1 of "Song of Myself"]
I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.
My tongue, every atom of my blood, form'd from this soil, this air,
Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same,
I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,
Hoping to cease not till death.
Creeds and schools in abeyance,
Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten,
I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard,
Nature without check with original energy.
(pg. 1873)
This is just one of the 52 sections from "Song of Myself". Whitman also used many lists in his poetry--which just adds to the long and rambling nature of his poems. When I followed up with a poem from Dickinson, her poems were short, condensed, and had a very controlled structure.
[Poem 249]
Wild Nights--Wild Nights!
Were I with thee
Wild Night should be
Our luxury!
Futile--The Winds--
To a Heart in port--
Done with the Compass--
Done with the Chart!
Rowing in Eden--
Ah, the Sea!
Might I but moor--Tonight--
In Thee!
(pg. 1954)
Just upon looking at the first section of "Song of Myself" and Dickinson's poem 249, Dickinson's short and controlled style is obvious.
Works Cited:
American Tradition in
Literature, Twelfth Edition. George and Barbara Perkins. McGraw- Hill, 2009.
Print.
