Today, I read an article by Jay Ladin titled Meeting Her Maker: Emily Dickinson's God (http://www.crosscurrents.org/articlelist.htm ) This led me to a few of her poems highlighted in the article:
Of Course - I prayed
Of Course-I prayed-
And did God Care?
He cared as much as on the Air
A Bird-had stamped her foot-
And cried "Give Me"-
My Reason-Life-
I had not had-but for Yourself-
'Twere better Charity
To leave me in the Atom's Tomb-
Merry, and Nought, and gay, and numb-
Than this smart Misery.
Those - dying then
Those -- dying then,
Knew where they went --
They went to God's Right Hand --
That Hand is amputated now
And God cannot be found --
The abdication of Belief
Makes the Behavior small --
Better an ignis fatuus
Than no illume at all.
It was too late for Man -
It was too late for Man --
But early, yet, for God --
Creation -- impotent to help --
But Prayer -- remained -- Our Side --
How excellent the Heaven --
When Earth -- cannot be had --
How hospitable -- then -- the face
Of our Old Neighbor -- God -
I was intrigued enough to go online and do a key word search - Emily Dickinson Poems. Came across this website which has a good biography on her, including her family background which helps explain her views of God as expressed in the three poems above. I have to say, though, that one can't judge a poet's relationship with God by just these three poems, but they do offer an insight into her spiritual struggles. http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/emilydickinson/sort_poems_by_first_lines#poems
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