One of the most beloved masters of this craft is the 19th-century writerEmily Dickinson.
Her unique style of writing used unconventional punctuation and structure that was extremely modern for the time.
She never married or had children, and most of her significant relationships were maintained via written correspondence.
Daguerrotype portrait of Emily Dickinson, c. 1847 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Scroll down to learn 8 facts about the American poet.
Learn 8 facts about the 19th-century American poet Emily Dickinson.
Dickinson spent the majority of her life in Amherst, Massachusetts at the family home.
Otis Allen Bullard, “Portrait of Emily Elizabeth, Austin, and Lavinia Dickinson,” c. 1840 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Dickinson’s father, Edward was a trustee of the institution in addition to being a practicing lawyer.
She was a recluse.
It is still unclear why she isolated herself.
Daguerreotype portrait of Susan Dickinson, Emily Dickinson’s sister-in-law, c. 1913 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
By the late 1860s, Dickinson’s seclusion had become well known in her hometown.
Susan and Dickinson became very close and exchanged countless letters over the course of Dickinson’s lifetime.
Susan was one of Dickinson’s great sources of literary support and provided feedback on her poems.
Photo of the Emily Dickinson Museum, formerly the Homestead of the Dickinson family (Photo: Daderot viaWikimedia Commons, Public domain)
She wore a lot of white (but not all the time).
One of the most famous myths surrounding Dickinson is that she exclusively wore white.
The only conclusive portrait of Dickinson features her in a dark-colored dress.
Cover of the first edition of Emily Dickinson’s “Complete Poems,” published in 1890, four years after her death (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
She was an avid gardener.
The Dickinson Homestead was famous for its abundance of flowers and plants.
Dickinson and her sister were educated in botany as children, and very knowledgeable about gardening.
She kept a collection of pressed flowers.
Inside the 66-page leather-bound book were 424 pressed flowers, cataloged alongside detailed written notes about each species.
Four years later, in 1890, Dickinson’sComplete Poemswas published by Thomas H. Johnson.
