This Was a Poet It Is That

This Was a Poet It Is That - meaning Summary

Poetry Transforms the Ordinary

Emily Dickinson presents a short meditation on the poet’s power to transmute ordinary things into profound meaning. The speaker admires how a poet distills "amazing sense" and an overwhelming perfume from common objects, revealing imagery that makes readers feel impoverished by contrast while the poet himself acquires an inward, timeless wealth. The poem praises creative perception as a source of spiritual fortune and distinction from everyday life.