3 quotes explained

Emily Dickinson quotes

American poet (1830–1886)

Inspirational
“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.”
– Emily Dickinson, "Hope" is the thing with feathers (c. 1861)
Meaning: Dickinson imagines hope as a small bird that lives inside us. It is light and quiet, but it keeps singing even in hard times.
perches
– sits on something, the way a bird sits on a branch
soul
– the inner, spiritual part of a person
Success & failure
“Success is counted sweetest by those who ne'er succeed.”
– Emily Dickinson, Success is counted sweetest (c. 1859)
Meaning: People who have never won understand best how wonderful winning must be, because they want it so much.
ne'er
– never (old, poetic form)
Time
“Forever is composed of nows.”
– Emily Dickinson
Meaning: "Forever" is just a long line of present moments, so the present is all we really have.
composed of
– made of