Discover the Intrigue: Top 12 Unbelievable Fun Facts About Emily Dickinson You Need to Know

1. Monotone Wardrobe Queen

Who needs Fifty Shades of Grey when you can rock a monotone wardrobe? The mysterious poet Emily Dickinson was quite the fashion minimalist: Turns out, she never mentioned wearing white in her writings or was pictured wearing it, but her contemporaries did note her donning a plain, machine-stitched white pique dress on at least one occasion, which later evolved into an iconic symbol linked to her persona and life story.
Source => emilydickinsonmuseum.org

2. Queen of the Forest Floor

While Emily Dickinson was once considered the Queen of the Forest Floor, churning out petal-powered poems like an unstoppable breeze, her intricate wordplay deceived many for aeons: It was the keen eyes of feminist magnifying glasses, such as Adrienne Rich and Susan Howe, that shed light on the labyrinthine intellect nestled within her verses, giving way to a platter of artistic reimaginings like the tantalizingly rebellious Apple TV+ series Dickinson.
Source => slate.com

Did you know that Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Robert Frost was also a dedicated farmer and educator in New Hampshire before reaching worldwide acclaim? Discover more intriguing facts about his unique journey! 🌾🏆📚

=> Fun Facts about Robert-Frost

3. Hidden Treasure Discovery

Hidden Treasure in Poet's Cove: In a plot twist worthy of her own vivid imagination, Emily Dickinson's sister Lavinia stumbled upon a veritable trove of literary gold locked away in Emily's chambers after her demise – over 1,800 poems secreted away in hand-sewn books, unveiling the quirky and groundbreaking genius of the reclusive wordsmith who has become one of the greatest American poets.
Source => bpl.org

4. Phantom Baker

Clandestine cookie capers and gingerbread gifts from a phantom baker: Emily Dickinson was known to share her love of baking with neighborhood children by lowering baskets filled with homemade treats, often gingerbread cookies and cakes, from a window in her house using a rope, a testament to her generosity and affection for those around her.
Source => openculture.com

5. The Complicated Homebody

If Emily Dickinson were on Facebook today, her relationship status would undoubtedly read "It's Complicated"... with socializing: This renowned poet was actually quite the homebody, rarely venturing out from her family abode, shunning public events, and preferring the company of her loyal Newfoundland dog, Carlo, as her trusted sidekick during woodland strolls and for emotional support.
Source => emilydickinsonmuseum.org

6. Prose and Pastries Pen Pal

Emily Dickinson, the original pen pal with a penchant for prose and pastries: This insightful poet was not only a wordsmith but also a prolific letter writer, having composed over 1,000 letters to around 100 friends and family members, showcasing her intellect, emotions, and relationships, and occasionally enclosing loving tokens such as flowers or baked treats.
Source => emilydickinsonmuseum.org

7. Budding Gardener Romance

Gardening: a budding romance for Emily Dickinson! Yes, our famous reclusive poet held a deeply rooted affection for flowers, getting down and dirty with botany courses and Latin names that would make even the bees, flies and birds living among her plants jealous: Dickinson's poetical love affair with nature can be traced back to her mother's green fingers, inspiring her to create an extensive herbarium with over 400 specimens and frequently weaving seasons, weather, and wildlife references into her celebrated verses.
Source => emilydickinsonmuseum.org

8. Top Poet in Hiding

If Emily Dickinson participated in a reality show, it would be "America's Next Top Poet in Hiding": this intensely private wordsmith penned a whopping 1800 poems, with the vast majority discovered posthumously in her collection of handwritten manuscripts.
Source => emilydickinsonmuseum.org

9. Defying the Dickinson-ary

Defying the Dickinson-ary: Emily wasn't one to follow the "bloom where you're planted" philosophy and instead opted to root herself in the cozy confines of her home; Serious Reveal: A master of Greek, Latin, and botany, Emily rejected the conventional career path of becoming a school teacher and chose a life of reclusion to focus on her poetry.
Source => hermitary.com

10. DIY Fascicles Creator

If Emily Dickinson's hobby got any more DIY, she'd be running her own Etsy store: Dickinson meticulously handcrafted over 800 of her poems into small booklets called "fascicles," each holding about 40 of her poetic masterpieces, bound with string as if she predicted the hipster-chic future of recycled brown paper. On top of that, she shared her work on individual sheets as poetic notes alongside her correspondence, but alas, only a mere fraction of those heartfelt letters have survived to give us a glimpse into her creative process.
Source => emilydickinsonmuseum.org

11. Karaoke Queen of Punctuation

If Emily Dickinson were to sing karaoke, she might have belted out "I Did It My Way"... with a few extra punctuation marks thrown in for good measure: Despite facing extensive posthumous revisions, her unconventional rhyme, punctuation, and rich metaphors have secured her position as one of the most celebrated American poets of the nineteenth century.
Source => loc.gov

12. Literary Entourage and Canine Sidekick

Thought Emily was stuck in a tower of poetic isolation? This bard had her own entourage and a canine sidekick, too: Miss Dickinson had a tight circle of five friends with whom she exchanged letters, gifts, poetry, and literary discussions, and she even had a faithful Newfoundland dog named Carlo to accompany her on strolls around Amherst.
Source => medium.com