Live, Living Life
            
             At first glance, Emily Dickinson's poem #470 seems to be written by a depressed and apathetical person. However, upon further examination, it is clear this is not the case. Dickinson's consistent and constant use of the same forms of meter, tone, rhythm, and sound brilliantly creates a level of security and stability in the poem, which is destroyed in an effort to emphasize the instability and false security in "accepted society."
             Initially, the poem seems to be a call from a very depressed author who "guesses" she is alive and dreams of her own funeral. While reading the poem for the first time, one immediately falls into the rhythm and "flows" with the poem. The Iambic meter, the meter and style of normal speech, is easy to read and not very taxing on the brain, lips, or eyes. This sets up a strong, secure base, which allows for quick reading of the poem, an error that Dickinson wants the reader to make. The swift flow of the words abruptly halts and resembles that of stop-and-go rush-hour traffic, tripping the reader up and forcing changing the tone of the poem. One must now reread the poem in order to understand why the author chose to destroy such a brilliant and completely iambic poem, a feat not easily accomplished.
             Upon second reading, the poem takes on a much slower, softer rhythm creating a somber tone. A pause is discovered after each foot forcing the reader to reflect on what was just read. No longer is the poem viewed as a cry for help, as one now realizes a tone of sarcasm and disgust for gender roles and "accepted society" in general.
             Emily Dickinson never married, another sign of her absolute disgust for gender roles in society. She restates this feeling again in this poem by stating that she is alive because she is still, "marked (by) Girlhood's name." She repeatedly argues why she is alive and free while society is...