The Buckley School's founder believed that all speakers should hone their presentation skills by reading poetry out loud. We keep that worthwhile practice alive by including a poem in our magazine each month for you to read aloud.
"Everyone's free to invent their own Emily Dickinson, and this is mine."
– Alena Smith, creator of the Apple+ series "Dickinson"
Perhaps you know Emily Dickinson as the reclusive spinster who wrote more than 1,800 poems. Or perhaps, thanks to the popular series Dickinson streaming on Apple+, you think of her as bold and rebellious.
Either way, reading her poems aloud can help improve your public speaking. Here's one that feels perfect to us for marking the anniversary of our pandemic quarantine--which feels as if it might be coming to an end!
Dear March—Come in—(1320)
by EMILY DICKINSON
Dear March—Come in—
How glad I am—
I hoped for you before—
Put down your Hat—
You must have walked—
How out of Breath you are—
Dear March, how are you, and the Rest—
Did you leave Nature well—
Oh March, Come right upstairs with me—
I have so much to tell—
I got your Letter, and the Birds—
The Maples never knew that you were coming—
I declare - how Red their Faces grew—
But March, forgive me—
And all those Hills you left for me to Hue—
There was no Purple suitable—
You took it all with you—
Who knocks? That April—
Lock the Door—
I will not be pursued—
He stayed away a Year to call
When I am occupied—
But trifles look so trivial
As soon as you have come
That blame is just as dear as Praise
And Praise as mere as Blame—
