The Pocket Emily Dickinson (149 pages)

As an aspiring poet, I had to read Emily Dickinson. She truly has influenced every single modern poet in ways that we don't realize. Her invention of a new type of language, her rearrangement of vocabulary and images, is something that we take for granted--but she did it first. I must admit that sometimes, I get tired to the very sentimental handling of topics like "eternity" and "love" and "death." Those are big words that contemporary poets have to attack in new and exciting ways. Sometimes, Dickinson seems a bit old-fashioned. Oh wait. She is. That's her special brand of amazingness--having such fresh thoughts and verse that she kind of sneaks in among today's greats and gives them a run for their money. Very fun read, if not sometimes disturbing, mind-altering, and contemplative. But that's what good poetry is for. Also, it was the pocket edition, so I totally just kept it in my purse and read a poem when I had a chance. Pocket books are fun :)