A Dickinsoneon Poem: Heirlooms and Memories

Emily Dickinson often used common meter.
She also used mundane subject matter to discuss deeper ideas. She used the capitalization of nouns to highlight or personify them and she used Dashes instead of traditional punctuation.

Common meter (also known as hymn meter) consists of quatrains that alternate between lines of iambic tetrameter (four feet of iambs, or eight syllables) and iambic trimeter (three feet of iambs, or six syllables). The basic rhythmic unit of an iamb is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (da-DUM). This meter creates a rhythmic and musical quality, often used in ballads and hymns, lending itself well to storytelling and reflective themes.

Heirlooms and Memories
First stanza:

Boxes hold junk and treasures dear—
8 syllables (iambic tetrameter)
those things both old and worn—
6 syllables (iambic trimeter)
dusty bits fade — then reappear—
8 syllables (iambic tetrameter)
family both dead and born.
6 syllables (iambic trimeter)

Second stanza:

A locket tarnished, shining faint—
8 syllables (iambic tetrameter)
no photo tucked inside—
6 syllables (iambic trimeter)
some moments mundane, others quaint—
8 syllables (iambic tetrameter)
Where love and loss collide.
6 syllables (iambic trimeter)

Third stanza:

The Quilt, once warm, now frayed with time—
8 syllables (iambic tetrameter)
unusable yet, still—
6 syllables (iambic trimeter)
it speaks of lullabies and rhyme—
8 syllables (iambic tetrameter)
a legacy of will.
6 syllables (iambic trimeter)

Fourth stanza:

In heirlooms apparitions play—
8 syllables (iambic tetrameter)
the useless pieces lie—
6 syllables (iambic trimeter)
though they fade— though they fall away—
8 syllables (iambic tetrameter)
their memories do not die.
6 syllables (iambic trimeter)

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About the Author: Sarah B. Royal

Sarah B. Royal’s writing defies convention. Her poetry and prose traverse the boundaries between structure and spontaneity, often weaving together philosophical inquiry, cultural reflection, and personal narrative. With a background in experimental literature, she is known for crafting works that challenge readers to engage intellectually and emotionally.

Her acclaimed palindrome performance play, 777 – A Story of Idol Worship and Murder, showcases her fascination with mirrored storytelling and thematic symmetry. In o x ∞ = ♥: The Poet and The Mathematician, Royal explores the intersection of poetic intuition and mathematical logic, revealing a unique voice that is both analytical and lyrical.

Royal’s collections—such as Lost in the Lost and Found, Haiku For You, Lantern and Tanka Too, and the WoPoLi Chapbook Series—highlight her commitment to neurodivergent expression and poetic experimentation. Whether through childhood verse or contemporary fusion poetry, her work invites readers into a world where language is both a tool and a playground.

Sarah B. Royal continues to expand the possibilities of poetic form, offering readers a deeply personal yet universally resonant experience. Her writing is a testament to the power of creative risk, intellectual depth, and emotional authenticity.

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