poetry

NIMAS AYU YUNIKA

A CLASS

052084213

POETRY

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson in viewing religious and religiosity

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was born in a well known family for educational and political activity. Her father was an Orthodox Calvinist. However, Emily did not want to publish of her confess faith in Christ. She prefer to withdraw herself into a secluded life because she had toubled with her young age at ‘death’. She was so afraid because her close friends mostly died young. It made her traumatized. Therefore, she lost her friends. Then, she chosen to reclusive her life and keep to stay at her room. She composed poems there.

Here a poem entitled ‘Some Keep The Sabbath Going To Church’. The first line ‘Some keep the Sabbath going to church’. She tought that some might go to church to see God, meanwhile herself thought that it was possible to see God around us by enjoying (communicating) with the nature at her surrounding. Line three ‘with a Bobolink for a Choister’. Bobolink here means American song bird. I guess it must have beautiful voice because Emily compared it with choir in the church. She tried to replace the choir with Bobolink as songs for God. She also stated that an orchard was her dome (shelter) in line four ‘And an orchard, for for a dome’. She compared the church building and orchard. The church was made by human, meanwhile orchard was made by God. Therefore, it was more beautiful and irreplaceable in her mind. Line five and six ‘Some keep the Sabbath in surplice- I just wear my wings’. Perhaps she tought that God did not see us from our apperance only. She believed it. If I can say it seemed like ‘Do not judge the book from its cover’. God did not like exaggeration. He needs our sincerity in worship. Line nine to ten ‘God preaches, a noted clergyman- and the sermon is never long’. Here she tought that the sermon given by the clergyman was not enough to give advices or references for human in passing their life. Emily prefered learnt to nature. Everything happened in life was so useful for references in passing her life. In line eleven to twelve ‘So instead of getting to heaven, at last- I’m going, all along’. Due to her daily life always communicate with God (I’m going, all along) she lived along with God. Therefore, she felt that she was already in heaven. Here she might think about endless life because heaven is a peaceful place for people who diligent or sincery in worship to God. Heaven is a peaceful place with endless joyness. God promises to take his people in heaven as a reward of their worship along their life.

This poem tells us about Emily’s feeling in God. Her love of nature and God were reflected in her poems. I think the third poem also support the theme of the previous two poems. Emily used natural approach to communicate with God. It means she made her poems which are represented by nature. She thankful to God with making worship all along day to be one in nature. Her three poems used nature as symbols.

1. ‘I’M NOBODY! WHO ARE YOU?’ like a frog, to an admiring bog

2. ‘SUCCESS IS COUNTED SWEETEST’ Nectar

3. ‘SOME KEEP THE SABBATH GOING TO CHURCH’ Orchard, Bobolink

She stated her love of nature and expressed her joyness in it through her connection to nature. She was so close to God that she sure God would listen to her prayers. From my describing above it is clear that Emily’s life was so close to God. She already felt alive in heaven. Therefore, she never feels alone because she was already live peacefully in heaven as her tought.

In my opinion the three poems have no relationship at all. Each of them has different theme. They were written in different conditions (circumstances). However, emily always use the same symbols (nature).