A Book by Emily Dickinson

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A Book

There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!

Emily Dickinson

Read poems about / on: poetry

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Ismael Rivera (7/16/2008 6:08:00 PM)
How a frigate? a frigate takes you to a place far away, so a book is to the mind as a frigate is to the body, understood? it talks about how inexpensive it is to go places if you have an imagination, basically, the imagination can go wherever, and books and poetry are the examples.

Naveed Akram (1/21/2008 5:26:00 PM)
These are words of compelling talk - that of a book. To compare metaphorically a book to a frigate is most joking. How a frigate? Because simply it is huge and bulky, with windows for the thoughts, and a travel so profound as to disturb. The word ‘frugal’ used later is effectively comparing itself with ‘frigate’ earlier on. What disturbs me is the mention of the human soul and its indefinite article, rathe than ‘the’ being a replacement. The human soul is like a land far away, if you know what I mean. It carries a blending of happiness, due to the lack of oppression.

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