In Dickinson’s “Recognizing Poetry,” the author narrates about this genre and, more specifically, its significant trait. For her, it is the emergence of physical sensations “as if the top of my head were taken off” when reading a piece, and this factor correlates with the poetic expression (Kennedy and Gioia 1030). She feels this way because the characteristics of poetry, which are represented by numerous literary techniques attributed to it, intentionally create this impression. In turn, this point of view is connected to Dickinson since she adopts the same methods for evoking readers’ responses and inspiration. This definition is related to Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!” because this poem incorporates various devices, including figurative language, metaphors, imagery, and many others (Kennedy and Gioia 871). For example, one of the metaphors is “the fearful trip,” referring to the Civil War (Kennedy and Gioia 871). It creates the required perception and thereby fulfills Dickinson’s definition of poetry.
Works Cited
Dickinson, Emily. “Wild Nights – Wild Nights!” Poetry Foundation.
“Emily Dickinson’s Love Life.” Emily Dickinson Museum, n.d.
Kennedy, X. J., and Dana Gioia. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 6th ed., Harper Collins College Publishers, 1995.