Featured Poems of the Week:
Week of 9/16/18
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By Emily Dickinson:
Now I lay thee down to Sleep – I pray the Lord thy Dust to keep – And if thou live before thou wake – I pray the Lord thy Soul to make – |
By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
Now I hunker down to Wait – I pray the Storm will Soon abate – And if it floods before it’s through – I’ll wish I had Skidaddled too – |
A Few Notes:
Donald Trump became the butt of jokes this past week when he warned Americans that Hurricane Florence was "a tremendously big and a tremendously wet” storm. However, in this case, Trump was actually quoting Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request).
In 1853, Dickinson addressed the Sesquiennial Congress of the American Council of Meteorologists, Astrologers, Weather Forecasters and Oracles as Hurricane Edmonia approached the east coast, the first of three destructive hurricanes to criss-cross Pennsylvania that year. At that time, Dickinson warned the ACMAWFO that Emdmonia was “a tremendously big and a tremendously wet storm.”
Also at the ACMAWFO’s 1853 Sesquiennail Congress, Dickinson introduced the concept of “hunkering down” (although it would be several years more before he would research how and when someone should “hunker up”). Of course, some people in the path of the storm did not heed Dickinson’s advice to evacuate. Instead, they hunkered down to ride the storm out.
Dickinson wrote about the concept of hunkering down in his now-famous poem, “Now I hunker down to wait,” one of our Featured Poems of the Week. Dickinson’s poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem, “Now I lay thee down to Sleep,” our other featured poem.
More information/pictures are HERE.
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Last Week's Featured Poems of the Week:
Week of 9/9/18
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By Emily Dickinson:
The Ditch is dear to the Drunken man For is it not his Bed – His Advocate – his Edifice? How safe his fallen Head In her disheveled Sanctity – Above him is the sky – Oblivion bending over him And Honor leagues away. |
By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
The Twitch is dear to the Plaid Shirt man For it can’t be Misread – His every Thought – his Evidence! How telling is his Head In his disheveled Sanity – Around him is this guy – Oblivion bending over him Dishonor leads the way. |
A Few Notes:
It's been a swampy week for the Swamp King, and things just keep getting swampier! Fear by Bob Woodward was released on the same day that The New York Times published an anonymous op-ed written by a senior official in the Trump administration (HERE). Next the ELD Museum published a similar piece written by an anonymous poet (HERE). Then the "plaid shirt guy" showed up behind Trump as he ranted to the racists who gathered in Montana to cheer him. For a short time the hashtag #plaidshirtguy trended on Twitter. People posted memes and gifs of the young man's talent for being able to discern BS when he hears it.
#plaidshirtguy reminded us of a "plaid shirt man" in the poem "The Twitch is dear to the Plaid Shirt man" by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). We've posted the poem as one of our Featured Poems of the Week. Dickinson's poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem "The Ditch is dear to the Drunken man," our other featured poem.
It's been a swampy week for the Swamp King, and things just keep getting swampier! Fear by Bob Woodward was released on the same day that The New York Times published an anonymous op-ed written by a senior official in the Trump administration (HERE). Next the ELD Museum published a similar piece written by an anonymous poet (HERE). Then the "plaid shirt guy" showed up behind Trump as he ranted to the racists who gathered in Montana to cheer him. For a short time the hashtag #plaidshirtguy trended on Twitter. People posted memes and gifs of the young man's talent for being able to discern BS when he hears it.
#plaidshirtguy reminded us of a "plaid shirt man" in the poem "The Twitch is dear to the Plaid Shirt man" by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). We've posted the poem as one of our Featured Poems of the Week. Dickinson's poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem "The Ditch is dear to the Drunken man," our other featured poem.
Previous Week's Featured Poems of the Week:
Week of 9/2/18
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By Emily Dickinson:
Yesterday is History, 'Tis so far away – Yesterday is Poetry – 'Tis Philosophy – Yesterday is mystery – Where it is Today While we shrewdly speculate Flutter both away |
By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
Tomorrow is Eternity, ‘Tis so far away – Tomorrow is Puzzlement – ‘Tis Uncertainty – Tomorrow is mystery – Where we must Succumb While we crudely contemplate What we might become |
A Few Notes:
A group of us from the Dickinson Organization of Poetry Enthusiasts (DOPE spent a couple of days in colonial Williamsburg, VA, after a poetry gathering of DOPEs in Norfolk. Strolling through the restored colonial town called to mind Emily Dickinson's poem "Yesterday is History," one of our Featured Poems of the Week. Dickinson was inspired to pen her poem after reading her third cousin Emmett Lee's poem "Tomorrow is Eternity," our other featured poem.
We had a great time in Williamsburg, and we'll be posting pictures and information soon in our plog (poetry blog). We'll tweet out the link once everything is posted (@the_Dickinson).
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