How did Emily Dickinson use slant rhyme in her poetry?

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Emily Dickinson, c. 1847 — Emily Dickinson Poet Emily Dickinson is one of American poetry's most singular and influential voices.

Emily Dickinson frequently employed off-rhymes—also known as slant rhyme—as a hallmark of her experimental poetic style. Rather than adhering to the strict, perfect rhymes common in traditional verse, she utilized these imperfect pairings to create a unique, haunting musicality in her work.1

Her use of slant rhyme is often linked to the influence of 18th-century hymns and ballads, which often featured lines of three or four stresses. By freely ignoring conventional rules of versification, Dickinson moved beyond the rigid expectations of her time, allowing her to maintain a singular, enigmatic voice. This technique, combined with her epigrammatic compression, helped her achieve an original aesthetic that prioritized integrity of vision over high polish.1