Poetry is the language of the heart

Poetry is the language of the heart

Poetry is the language of the heart because it can be used for expressions of love, passion, anger, sadness, and reflection. Poetry can be used to convey any message that is within a person’s heart. It’s only through life experiences like growing up, responsibility, love, and suffering that a person can truly use a poem to share what’s in their heart. For this assignment, I have chosen the poem, “There is no Frigate like a book” by Emily Dickinson, found on page 755. This poem is about the power of literature to entertain and transport a reader to an entirely different place that they wish to go. As mentioned, poetry is the language of the heart because it can be used to express love or passion for anything at all, which this poem does wonderfully. The first two verses, “There is no Frigate like a Book, To take us lands away”, makes clear that Dickinson has a deep love for reading books, so much so that she has dedicated a poem to it. The second verse shows very plainly that Dickinson values a book’s effect on the mind, taking a person mentally away from where they physically are. The entire poem echoes the same sentiment, making obvious that books and poetry alike hold a special place in Emily Dickinson’s heart, which she conveyed very successfully. Another quality she mentions is the ease of access and low cost of entry, saying in the sixth verse, “Without oppress of Toll-“, it is all the more better because of the low barrier of entry, meaning it is available to nearly everyone.

Many poetic terms can be found within the poem. Simile is the most apparent poetic term, being found in the title itself as well as the first verse. A frigate is being explicitly compared to a book, being said to have the same effect, both transporting a person to an entirely different setting. Next would be personification. In the fourth verse, “Of prancing poetry-“, poetry itself is said to be dancing, a sentiment that it is charming and life-like. More personification is used in the seventh verse, “How frugal is the chariot”, attributing frugality to an object meant for transportation. Another would be symbolism. Books and poetry symbolize freedom and delight, they are both regarded with value and comfort. The tone of the poem is of admiration, joy, and celebration. Dickinson’s poem is essentially a love letter to literature and all of the happiness it brings to her as well as other people.