Blog Archives

Total Advance

1/25/2020

From our current affairs editor, Lemuel Stuart III:

@Jake_Vig tweeted, "Things that didn't exist when Boomers were born":

There have been many, many more advances in society since the onset of the Baby Boomers, so we thought we'd add to the list:

* Nachos

* Free Refills

* Right Turn on Red

* Extra Creamy Redi-Whip

* Food Halls

* Baby Yoda

* Fist Bumps

* Pumpkin Spice

* The Macarena

* Avocado Toast

* Paradigm Shifts

* Halloween Costumes for Dogs

* Black Light Bowling

* Glutton Free

* Snuggies

* Sporks

* Millennials

* Bro, Bae, and Boi

* Sweet Potato Fries

* Digital Tattoos

Enough for now. We'll add more to the list later.

Wake Up and Read the Coffee

1/25/2020

From our food editor, Verla Burrell-Bordelon:

Wake up and read the coffee -- this February (or FeBREWary, as we like to call it).

That's right. Every day in FeBREWary we will post a coffee poem by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). You can catch all of the poems HERE.

No poet has written more poems about coffee than Emmett Lee Dickinson, Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request. Of course, all of Dickinson’s poems about coffee inspired third cousin Emily to pen poems of her own – though not about coffee. Emily Dickinson did love coffee too, but only if it had room for brandy. Lots and lots of brandy.

Here’s an excerpt from a letter from Emily Dickinson to her brother Austin when he had traveled to Boston in the fall of 1853:

"I’m waiting for sleep, dear Austin, and thought I would write. I watched you until you were out of sight Saturday evening and then went to my room and poured myself a coffee with heaps of brandy. Even now my coffee is almost gone, and the toddy has lifted my spirits wonderfully. I am quite at leisure – such a delirious whirl – thanks to the brandy, I am sure. Vinnie has commenced snoring, the saucy seraph – like a drunken bee. The brandy has done fine work on her. A long sleep eludes me though. Perhaps more brandy, less coffee? I’ll be staggering toward the sun in the morning. Write soon to me, dear brother.

You dearest Emily."

Pictured at the right: Emily Dickinson's 1853 letter to her brother Austin.

Join us throughout the month of FeBREWary as we post poems about coffee throughout the month – but you will have to provide your own brandy!

Read 28 coffee poems from 2013 HERE; 28 coffee poems from 2014 HERE, 28 coffee poems from 2015 HERE; 29 coffee poems from 2016 HERE; 28 coffee poems from 2017 HERE; 28 coffee poems from 2018 HERE; and 28 coffee poems from 2019 poems HERE.

THAT'S 197 POEMS ABOUT COFFEE -- plus we'll post 29 more this FeBREWary. That should keep you caffeinated.

Although no poet wrote more poems about coffee than Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request), we do come across other poets' works about coffee from time to time. One recent work we stumbled upon on Twitter was particularly blunt and honest, full of personal turmoil and self-reflection -- so we thought we'd share it.

Below: "A Poem for Mornings" by @maddox7746:

A POEM FOR MORNINGS

Coffee, coffee, coffee,
Coffee.
Coffee, coffee,
Everyone shut up.
Coffee.

They Got Me Covered

1/25/2020

From our master grammarian and resident logophile, Angstrom Dickinson:

The meaning of some of Emmett Lee Dickinson's poems are quite apparent -- like "Because I could not stop for Debt" and "After Formal Feedings a great pain comes." Others are little more elusive if not downright vague. However, Dickinson was quite a visionary, so as time has marched on, the meanings of some of his more abstruse poems have emerged -- as is the case for "I am allowed to own a Body," the meaning of which came into greater focus earlier this month.

On January 3rd, the American Dialect Society (ADS) met and named "(my) pronouns" as the Word of the Year for 2019. They also selected "singular 'They'" as the Word of the Decade. Information is HERE.

From the ADS press release: "When a basic part of speech like the pronoun becomes a vital indicator of social trends, linguists pay attention,” said (Ben) Zimmer (chair of the American Dialect Society’s New Words Committee and language columnist for the Wall Street Journal). “The selection of “(my) pronouns” as Word of the Year speaks to how the personal expression of gender identity has become an increasing part of our shared discourse. That trend is also reflected in singular “they” being chosen as Word of the Decade, with a growing recognition of the use of they for those whose identities don’t conform to the binary of he and she.”

Pictured at the right: Ben Zimmer's twitter profile -- with his preferred pronouns highlighted, an example of the ADS's Word of the Year choice.

The ADS selections for the 2019 Word of the Year and the Word of the Decade have helped to shed light on the meaning of Dickinson's "I am allowed to own a Body" -- as we are now in a "new day" when one is allowed to own a body, a soul -- and a pronoun of choice.

Below on the left: Emmett Lee Dickinson's "I am allowed to own a Body." Below on the right: Emily Dickinson's "I am afraid to own a Body." Emily was inspired to write the poem after reading her third-cousin's poem.

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

I am allowed to own a Body –
I am allowed to own a Soul –
Pronoun – vicarious Property –
Possession, now optimal –

Single Debate – increased by plural
Upon a self-respecting They –
Done in a moment of Singularness
And Good, for a New Day.

By Emily Dickinson:

I am afraid to own a Body –
I am afraid to own a Soul –
Profound – precarious Property –
Possession, not optional –

Double Estate – entailed at pleasure
Upon an unsuspecting Heir –
Duke in a moment of Deathlessness
And God, for a Frontier.

For information on the ELD Museum's annual countdown of Words of the Year, click HERE.

Blurred Lines

1/21/2020

From our political correspondent, Dorothy Dawe:

From the Washington Post: "The large color photograph that greets visitors to a National Archives exhibit celebrating the centennial of women’s suffrage shows a massive crowd filling Pennsylvania Avenue NW for the Women’s March on Jan. 21, 2017, the day after President Trump’s inauguration."

Take a closer look though.

"The Archives acknowledged in a statement this week that it made multiple alterations to the photo of the 2017 Women’s March showcased at the museum, blurring signs held by marchers that were critical of Trump" (the complete story is HERE).

Let. That. Sink. In.

The National Archives -- the agency of the United States government charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records -- altered photographs which were critical of Donald Trump.

I repeat: THE AGENCY CHARGED WITH PRESERVING HISTORICAL RECORDS ALTERED PHOTOGRAPHS WHICH WERE CRITICAL OF TRUMP.

All of this called to mind Emmett Lee Dickinson's now-classic poem "Yesterday is History" (below on the left). Dickinson's poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem with the same first line (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

Yesterday is History,
'Tis a need to hide –
Yesterday is Plain to see –
'Tis Falsified –

Yesterday is mystery –
Where is it Today
While they shrewdly fabricate
Gut the truth away

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

Of course, the entire affair also called to mind this tweet:

True Blue

1/21/2020

From our art columnist, Jarvis MacKinnon III:

Pantone recently named the Color the Year for 2020: Classic Blue.

“We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by…Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on,” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute.

Of course Classic Blue also underscores last year’s revitalizing Blue Wave (chosen over a toxic Red Tide), and it speaks to the Wave's coming return in 2020.

This hopeful anticipation calls to mind Emmett Lee Dickinson’s now-classic poem “We sent the Wave to build the Wave” (below on the left). Dickinson’s poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem “We send the Wave to find the Wave” (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

We sent the Wave to build the Wave,
An errand so divine
Our citizenry enamored to
Return to saner times,
We’ll make the sage decision soon
Forever change what’s wrong,
The sagest time to celebrate
Is when the damn fool’s gone.

By Emily Dickinson:

We send the Wave to find the Wave,
An errand so divine
The messenger enamored too
Forgetting to return,
We make the sage decision still
Soever made in vain,
The sagest time to dam the sea
Is when the sea is gone.

Of course, voters will make a “sage decision soon” – next November – and hopefully, they will “change what’s wrong” so that we can “return to saner times.”

Dickinson was quite the visionary!

Below: November 2020 offers voters a choice: A revitalizing, refreshing blue wave (left) -- or a toxic red tide (right). The Pantone Color of the Year 2020 (middle) hope.

The Lyin' King

1/21/2020

From our political correspondent, Dorothy Dawe:

It’s all over the news – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will “step back from royal duties” and will no longer receive public funds for royal duties. They will also no long use their HRH titles.

Almost simultaneously, the GOP announced new arrangements with Donald Trump: Mitch “Midnight Mitch” McConnell announced this week that Trump is now to be recognized as “his royal highness,” and he & his family will receive tax-payer funds to cover all of their private ventures and schemes, including any and all jaunts to Europe, safari trips, and golf holidays. McConnell added, “This new model will take effect immediately.”

So Trump, for whom the GOP has circled the wagons – or in this case, the royal carriages – is now our uncrowned King, and following the sham-trial (and expected acquittal) in the Senate, the US Constitution will be rendered meaningless (except for the Second Amendment). Henceforth, we will now refer to the United States as "US2A."

The new reign of King Donald calls to mind Emmett Lee Dickinson's now-classic poem, "Title divine – is his!" (below on the left). Dickinson's poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem, "Title divine – is mine!" (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

Title divine – is his!
The King – without a Doubt!
Acute Degree — conferred on him –
Despot of Tyranny!
Royal – all but the Crown!
Be-throned — an orange buffoon
God send us Patience –
When he –bold –Statement to Statement –
Groan – to Groan –
Brash – Blustered – Shouted –
In a Day –
Our Misery
"My Savior" – cultists say –
Stroking his Vanity –
Is this – the way?

By Emily Dickinson:

Title divine – is mine!
The Wife – without the Sign!
Acute Degree — conferred on me –
Empress of Calvary!
Royal – all but the Crown!
Betrothed — without the swoon
God sends us Women –
When you – hold – Garnet to Garnet –
Gold – to Gold –
Born – Bridalled – Shrouded –
In a Day –
Tri Victory
"My Husband" – women say –
Stroking the Melody –
Is this – the way?

Perfect Tense

1/16/2020

A Few Notes from Dorothy Dawe:

Trump's at it again. The whiny baby that he is, he's crying and screaming again -- in all caps -- about his "perfect call."

He even called the press into the Oval Office today to demonstrate just how perfect his call was.

Below: Trump demonstrates his perfect call.

Of course all of this "perfect" talk is just mob-speak that underscores how angry Trump is that he got caught. He really thought he'd committed the "perfect crime." I've written about it before -- HERE.

Trump's corruption and crimes are so extreme and appalling that the House had no choice but to impeach him. Of course, Mitch McConnell announced his plans for a sham trial, so Trump's wrongdoing might still end up being the perfect crime. To be honest, though, if Trump is not removed from office at this point, then our Constitution is meaningless. Utterly meaningless.

Below left: Trump's "perfect call" talk called to mind Emmett Lee Dickinson's poem "Let him now make that perfect Call." Below right: Dickinson's poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem, "Let me not mar that perfect Dream."

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

Let him now make that perfect Call
With an Immoral stain
And so adjust his daily Crime
To boost his own campaign.

Now when we know his Power’s abused –
The Carnage of his Style
With all our lifted Hope we watch
The House – Impeachment Trial.

By Emily Dickinson:

Let me not mar that perfect Dream
By an Auroral stain
But so adjust my daily Night
That it will come again.

Not when we know, the Power accosts --
The Garment of Surprise
Was all our timid Mother wore
At Home — in Paradise.

Cult 45

1/12/2020

From our political correspondent, Dorothy Dawe:

From January 10, 2020, from the LA Times: “Call Trumpism What It Is: A Cult” – HERE.

Of course, signs of Trump's cult, Cult 45, are everywhere. For example, the cult is made up of nothing but gullible members with weak and/or hollow belief systems who adore a charlatan (below).

Members of the Cult cannot name one thing their "leader" has done well (below left).

The "leader" orders cult members to shun rogue followers. For example, Trump turned on Rep. Matt Gaetz after Gaetz voted with the Democrats in favor of the House's War powers Resolution (below center). (Gaetz later told CNN, “I think he would've preferred I voted differently, but he understands my principled view on this subject." The problem: principled views are NOT ALLOWED in the cult.)

Cult members praise the "leader" no matter what – even if he slurs his words and sniffs and snorts through to the effects of an addiction to Adderall (below right).

Below: "What is something that you believe the president has done well"? Info HERE.

Below: Trump White House shutting out Matt Gaetz in retaliation. info HERE.

Below: Info on Trump's bloated tongue, slurring words, sniffing and snorting is HERE & HERE.

So who, ultimately, will be the biographer of the blustering and bombastic head of Cult 45?

To be honest, the most exact and detailed Trump biographer is, in fact, his fat and fatigued body. His bloated, bulging tongue. His slurred speech. His drug induced sniffles and snorts. His irregular and patchy tan lines. His puffy, black-and-blue eye bags. These symptoms are the current biographer of the spurious toad in the White House. However, none of it matters to the members of Cult 45. They believe him when he says that he is the "healthiest president ever", that he speaks the truth, that he alone can fix things. They accept what he says without question.

All of this calls to mind Emmett Lee Dickinson's poem, "His sniffs are his Biographer" (below left). Dickinson's poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem, "His cheek is her Biographer" (below right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

His Sniffs are his Biographer –
The sign we can’t ignore
Addiction his Euphoria –
Past that, he sins in war –

By Emily Dickinson:

His Cheek is his Biographer –
As long as he can blush
Perdition is Opprobrium –
Past that, he sins in peace –

At the left: Noel Casler worries “people would rather have a lunatic at the helm of this country....Demand some answers before it’s too late.” Trump’s "biographer" is providing plenty of valuable information.

Oh, The Places You'll Go

1/9/2020

From Dorothy Dawe, chair of the Dickinson Organization of Poetry Enthusiasts:

We at DOPE and the Emmett Lee Dickinson Museum are pleased as punch that Washerst, PA, the birthplace of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request), was named by The New York Times as one of 52 places to visit in 2020!

For more of what Washerst has to offer, click HERE and HERE.

Here's some of what the article said:

Washerst, long known as the country’s capital of American poetry, has morphed into a dynamic cultural center on the cutting edge of the arts, food and recreation. Within easy driving distance from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, and Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA, the city is a magnet for Washington expats, millennials and college students.

In hopes for a renaissance of their historic downtown area, city managers have recently entered talks with the Barbara Seville Reality Group to lease the now-abandoned Dickinson Bowling Lanes on Dickinson Boulevard as a possible home for a new Dickinson Museum. The former museum burned down on New Year’s Eve 2015.

The world-renowned Washerst Dry Cleaning Academy, the city’s premier post-graduate training center in the laundry sciences, will re-open later this year after a billion-dollar renovation, in South Washerst, a longtime industrial neighborhood turned urban hot spot.

For outdoor enthusiasts, the magnificent Dickinson Lake offers hours of lazy rafting, a rarity within an American city.

For more on what Washest has to offer, click HERE and HERE.

Down the Rabbit Hole

1/7/2020

From our senior book reviewer, Philo Remington:

I was fortunate enough recently to be at the Vere Harmsworth Library, the principal research colletions relating to US History at the University of Oxford, for a symposium on the life and works of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request) when a newly discovered draft manuscript of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland was found in the rare books collection at Sakler Library. This original draft, called “Nancy in Swampland,” sheds new light on Carroll’s thoughts and writing process.

“This work reveals to an incredible degree the extraordinary influence Emmett Lee Dickinson's poetry had on Carroll’s work,” said Rupert Ridge Birtwistle, the Chief Impact and Optimization Executive and Legacy Integration Liaison Officer of the Rare Books Collection of the library.

“And what's really amazing to me,” he added, “is that the manuscript was just sitting there in a filing cabinet drawer all these years.”

Below left: Nancy in Swampland. Below right: Tweedledum and Tweedledummer.

Below: Some selections from the newly discovered manuscript of Lewis Carroll's "Nancy in Swampland":

The time has come' the Liar said,
      To talk of many things:
Of golf – and guns – and border walls –
      Of autocrats – and kings –
And why my Tweet-storm’s boiling hot –
      And whether Bolton sings.

Below left: Moscow Mitch Below right: Lady Lindsey

"Let the jury consider the evidence," Nancy said, for about the twentieth time that day.

"No, no!" said Moscow Mitch. "Acquittal first – trial afterward."

"Stuff and nonsense!" said Nancy loudly. "The idea of having an acquittal first!"

"Hold your tongue!" said the Moscow Mitch, turning orange.

"I won't!" said Nancy.

"Off with her head!" Lady Lindsey shouted at the top of his lungs. Nobody moved.

"Who cares for you?" said Nancy. She towered over the quisling. "This administration is nothing but a house of cards!"

Below: The Mad Hannity -- also known as the Jabber-Talkie

’Twas brillig, and the slimy toads
Did gyre and gimble in the swamp:
All loathsome were Republicans,
As the MAGA rats galomped.