I am dabbling in writing poetry and am greatly inspired by Emily Dickenson.  She was a prominent American poet who passed away in 1886
I learned about her in middle school! That was so long ago though... I know she had a somewhat tragic life. Can you tell me about her so I can remember?
She was raised in Amherst and actually lived much of her life as a recluse.  
Why was she a recluse? Or what happened to her?
I think part of it was she was considered pretty eccentric and she rarely allowed guests. Later on she did not even leave her bedroom.
That's very fascinating. So, what were some more positive points of her life?
and was known for her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, to even leave her bedroom. Dickinson never married, and most friendships between her and others depended entirely upon correspondence.
While Dickinson was a prolific poet, fewer than a dozen of her nearly 1,800 poems were published during her lifetime. The poems published then were usually edited significantly to fit conventional poetic rules. Her poems were unique to her era. They contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional
the blue. I knew nothing about it. Friends rang to tell me and I was completely taken aback. I am surprised that so many people remembered Hilda, considering it was so long ago that I played her." She added in 2005 that she was amazed by the nation's enduring affection for Hilda. She said: "I've no idea why. I'm totally flummoxed. If they remember Hilda with such affection, then I'm happy and very flattered.. ..It means that I did a good job