Journal #27: Dickinson Poem Tunes

Many of Emily Dickinson's poems can be sung to the tune of many well known songs. This is because they have a very rhythmic beat and they can be sung with the classical folk songs. Emily Dickinson was not around when all of these songs were written, but her poems were written with that same musical beat. These songs have a typical beat and it goes really well with her typical rhyme scheme. She was the first poet to start writing in this rhythm because she wanted to be different than the typical poetry style of the time. It was really ironic that her poems can be read to the tune of "Amazing Grace" because she was not involved with the Christian Church because she did not want to be. The only reason that she was even involved in the church was because of her family's influence. I found it really weird that the song that fits the best was Amazing Grace. Emily was not an involved member in the church and her poems seem to fit really well with many different church hymnals. I figured that because she was not involved in the church that she would not write poetry that went with the same beats and rhythms. Maybe she thought she was coming up with something original but she really was not. She would have known the songs if she went to church and actually paid attention. She probably was not too concerned with with paying attention because she did not have a very strong relationship with god. The reason that it seems really ironic that her poems go with songs that were really important to society is because she was disconnected with society in her seclusion. She must not have liked being around people because she did not go out just for any occasion. She secluded herself from society, but the she went and wrote poetry to the tunes of many popular songs.