Blog Archives

On My Soapbox

11/26/2016

Did you know that today is National Personal Hygiene Day? Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request) set this annual observance on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. He established this day to draw attention to regular personal hygiene because every year he noticed that relatives visiting for Thanksgiving – particular those in their teenage years – began to emanate body odor, develop smelly feet, and acquire bad breath.

Pictured below: The American Institute for Better Living through Proper Health, Posture and Cleanliness, established by Emmett Lee Dickinson in the late-1800s. The AIBLPHPC, located in Ithaca, NY, is still the world's leading organization that promotes appropriate personal hygiene for pre-teens, tweens, and teens.

Emmett Lee Dickinson wrote many poems to promote cleanliness and proper personal hygiene. One of his most popular poems, "Obtaining but his rank Extent" (below on the left), was dedicated to his nephew, Lum P. Dickinson. His poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem "Obtaining but our own Extent" (below on the right).

Pictured at the right: Emmett Lee Dickinson's nephew, Lum Pierpont Dickinson.

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

Obtaining but his rank Extent
In my secluded Realm –
’Twas Lack of personal Hygiene
That bore him ‘cross the Room –

By Emily Dickinson:

Obtaining but our own Extent
In whatsoever Realm –
’Twas Christ’s own personal Expanse
That bore him from the Tomb –

Pictured at the right and below left and right: For decades, Master Hygienists at the AIBLPHPC have attempted to solve problems related to body odor and personal hygiene with teenage boys.

Pictured at the left: Emmett Lee Dickinson thought he had solved the issue related to body odor with teen-aged boys when he invented the "Dickinson Electro-Bath." The device was ultimately banned in all fifty states, though, when it was found to be a potential fire hazard due to the lithium-ion batteries required to run the apparatus.

"Hope" is the Thing with Gravy!

11/24/2016

Emily Dickinson said "'Hope' is the thing with feathers."

Emmett Lee Dickinson, Emily's third cousin (twice removed -- at her request), said, "Pluck that bird, and serve it up with some cornbread stuffing and mashed potatoes. 'Hope' is the thing with gravy!"

Thanksgiving is what it is today thanks to Emmett Lee Dickinson. He is as closely associated with the holiday as Santa Claus is with Christmas, the Easter Bunny is with Easter, and police departments are with National Donut Day. For information on Dickinson's connection to Thanksgiving, click HERE.

Emmett Lee Dickinson wrote more poems about Thanksgiving than any other poet, and one of his most popular T-giving poems is "The most triumphant Bird I ever saw or ate" (below on the left). His poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem "The most triumphant Bird I ever knew or met" (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

The most triumphant Bird I ever saw or ate
Did park upon my plate today
And till the Meal was set
I famished to behold with such a lengthy wait
And sang for such delectable
But intimate Delight.
Replenished, I returned for a festive
second plate
Of that delicious Sacrament
Till my Pants didn’t fit!

By Emily Dickinson:

The most triumphant Bird I ever knew or met
Embarked upon a twig today
And till Dominion set
I famish to behold so eminent a sight
And sang for nothing scrutable
But intimate Delight.
Retired, and resumed his transitive
Estate –
To what delicious Accident
Does finest Glory fit!

We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and we hope your meal is covered in gravy!

Souped Up!

11/23/2016

Have you ever wondered why shark-fin is the traditional soup for Thanksgiving in households around the country?

Back in the late-1850s, many parts of the United States were hit with a bizarre weather pattern, and numerous Sharknadoes whipped through towns across the country. Thousands of lives were lost, and in many cases, entire populations of cities and towns were evacuated and/or relocated; however, when an F5 Sharknado was predicted for Washerst, Pennsylvania, on the day before Thanksgiving, Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) refused to leave town and vowed to stay and fight the brutal storm and the ferocious sharks. With the help of Captain Robert "Quint" Shaw and other townspeople, Dickinson proved that a deadly Sharknado could be overcome -- and the survivors dined on shark fin soup the day following the storm.

Pictured below: The New York Times coverage of the Great Washerst Sharknado.

Dickinson memorialized the event in his now classic poem "Sharknadoes be in any town" (below on the right). His poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem "Volcanoes be in Sicily" (below on the left).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

Sharknadoes be in any town
Across America
I judge from my Geography –
Sharknadoes are near here
A Likely hit at any time
Am I inclined to roam –
Or fight the Force – I contemplate
Shark Fin Soup at Home.

By Emily Dickinson:

Volcanoes be in Sicily
And South America
I judge from my Geography–
Volcanos nearer here
A Lava step at any time
Am I inclined to climb–
A Crater I may contemplate
Vesuvius at Home.

This year as part of their Countdown to Christmas, the Hallmark Channel will broadcast the latest in the Sharknado movie series, "SHARKNAVIDAD." Destined to become a holiday classic, Sharknavidad tells the tale of a monstrous storm in Corpus Christi, TX, which leaves holiday displays flooded and infested with sharks.

Pictured at the right: The promotional poster for the Hallmark Channel's "Sharknavidad" (click the image to enlarge).

For descriptions of more Christmas movies in this year's Countdown to Christmas, click HERE.

Turku

11/23/2016

Did you know that Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) invented the haiku?

He was visiting Japan when the idea for the three-line, seventeen syllable poem came to him. He was bowling and trying to pick up the seven-ten split. He named his invention "haiku," the Japanese word for bowling. The complete history of the haiku is HERE.

Shortly after Dickinson's best friend Abraham Lincoln made his national Thanksgiving proclamation, Dickinson established the haiku as the official poetry form for the holiday. He published a substantial and important tome (pictured at the right) called "Turku," a name he dubbed Thanksgiving-themed haiku.

Many examples of Dickinson's turkus are HERE (scroll down to the entry dated November 28th). More examples can be found HERE.

For your holiday enjoyment, here are still more classic haikus -- Turkus -- of Emmett Lee Dickinson:

Trick or Treat -- and then
Countdown to Christmas! It's the
War on Thanksgiving!
*
Thanksgiving's coming
And the turkey's getting fat!
Alas! So am I.
*
I'm on a diet
And Thanksgiving approaches.
I'll diet next week.
*
Christmas is coming
And this goose is getting fat --
I'll diet next year!

Pi Day's March fourteenth.
A better pie day occurs
On Thanksgiving Day!
*
Sweet potato pie,
Pecan pie, and pumpkin pie --
Must be Thanksgiving!
*
Shop till you drop to
Battle the War on Christmas!
Black Friday matters!
*
On Thanksgiving night
There's nothing better than a
Plate of left-overs!

The Play's the Thing

11/22/2016

The “Hamilton” hullabaloo is nothing new. Ignominious politicians have been booed by crowds in various venues for years. This time around it was Mike Pence, and then Donald Trump -- a bully ninja himself – tweeted out some shade on the “Hamilton” cast (though we’re still waiting for even a hint of admonishment about the KKK’s celebration/parade being planned in his honor).

Anyhoo, a similar uproar occurred in 1857 when Chief Justice Roger Taney arrived at the Broadway hit “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rodgers Theatre). The crowd booed and hissed at Taney following the recent Supreme Court’s Dred Scott Decision. Following the show, a cast member addressed Chief Justice Taney, and his words included a quote from Alexander Hamilton: “Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments.”

President Buchanan wrote to The New York Times and growled, “The cast and producers of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which I hear is highly overrated, should immediately apologize to Taney for their terrible behavior.”

Pictured at the right: Chief Justice Roger Taney

Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request) wrote about all the ruckus in his now-classic poem “The show was still ‘the show’” (below on the right). His poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem “The show is not the show” (below on the left).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

The show was still “the show,”
When he did go.
Though some may think it crude
The patron’s booed
Fair play –
Reap what you sow.

By Emily Dickinson:

The show is not the show,
But they that go.
Menagerie to me
My neighbor be.
Fair play –
Both went to see.

Pictured below: The 46th Street Theatre in New York City (now the Richard Rodgers Theatre), scene of an 1857 scandal when threatre-goers booed at Chief Justice Roger Taney.

Plogging Along

11/21/2016

After you've pigged out on your Thanksgiving buffet, and before you rush out for the Thanksgetting and Black Friday deals, spend some time by the fire relaxing -- and reviewing our 2016 Plog Posts (poetry blog).

We published well over 100 posts this past year, and what a year it was! Of course many of our entries were about the presidential election, but we also had a great variety of fun, frivolous, and even thought-provoking offerings -- including the following:

NOVEMBER

Origin of the “Trump Cup” brew-haha), middle school dances, climate change and the Mannequin Challenge.

OCTOBER

The North American Clown Migration and candy corn.

SEPTEMBER

Abraham Lincoln’s (unfulfilled) promise “Nacho wagons on every street corner!”

AUGUST

Left-Hander’s Day, Ghost Buster, and current and future art exhibits dedicated to Emmett Lee Dickinson.

JULY

Pokemon Go! and newly discovered painting by Georgia O’Keeffe (inspired by Emmett Lee Dickinson).

JUNE

The first library in the United States run by cows – and “google-itis.”

MAY

Donald Trump's elusive publicist John Miller's connection to Emmett Lee Dickinson and sauces
for hot wings inspired by Dickinson’s poetry.

APRIL

Yankee candles, wine, and room fresheners all inspired by Dickinson poetry –
and reports on Prince and Sarah Palin too!

MARCH

The origin of Peeps – and petty, punk-ass little poetry stuff! (and Trump’s tiny hands).

FEBRUARY

The Super Bowl, Jimmy Kimmel, Puppy-Monkey-Baby, and more!

JANUARY

The Golden Globes, the Oscar nominations, candy hearts, board games, and raging infernos!

What's coming up? As the end of 2016 nears, we're preparing plog posts on Broadway's "Hamilton" scandal, the origin of the phrase "drop the mic," inflatable Santas, and more! Then who knows what 2017 will bring -- so be sure to check back often!

Not My Cup of Tea

11/21/2016

So what’s with the Starbucks “Trump Cup” hullabaloo? Is this some sort of peculiar protest? Or is it some form of abnormal aggrandizement? To be honest, 7-11 sold coffee in “Democrat” and “Republican” cups, so these mud-loving (mud-slinging?) activists could have advertised their sentiments at a much cheaper price. Just saying.

However, the “Trump Cup” ruckus dates back to the 1870s with a scandal involving Grover Cleveland. During his first campaign for the presidency, the press revealed that Cleveland had fathered an illegitimate child and was paying the mother support. The scandal did not derail Cleveland's campaign, and he went on to win the presidency. His supporters gloated by ordering coffee at a national chain called Sturback’s Coffee. Customers would give baristas “Cleveland” as their last names so that the President-elect’s name would be shouted out when orders were ready. Trouble was, so many “Cleveland” coffee orders were called out, no one knew which coffee was for whom.

Pictured at the right: President Grover Cleveland and his illegitimate son, Oscar Folsom Cleveland. When interviewed in 1884 and asked about Cleveland’s assertion that any number of men could have been Oscar’s father, Maria Halpin was outraged: “There is not and never was a doubt as to the paternity of our child, and the attempt of Grover Cleveland or his friends to couple the name of Oscar Folsom or any one else with that of the boy, for that purpose, is simply infamous and false.” As the child aged, it became quite clear that President Cleveland was, in fact, the boy's father.

Pictured below: A Sturback's Coffee in Versailles (pronounced "Ver-SALES"), Kentucky: supporters all named "Cleveland" ordered coffees -- shown on the bar; however, since they all used the same last name, no one knew which coffee was for whom.

Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) heard about the "Cleveland Cup Brew-haha" and thought it was silly, so he wrote about it in his now-class poem "Bring me your protest on a cup" (below on the left). His poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem "Bring me the sunset in a cup" (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

Bring me your protest on a cup
Beckon the morning’s flagons up
And see how many do
Call the names of morning creeps –
Call them as their coffee steeps
Within the cups of brew!

Write down how many names there be
With this new Rebel’s registry
Among the cocky clan –
How many trips the Crackpots make –
How many cups the Nuts partake,
The Daffy Pointless Plan!

Also, who had the iced Latte?
Also, who had the espresso?
Who gets these cups of brew?
Who took the skinny no-whip frap –
With just a single name on tap?
They don’t know what to do!

Who started up this Goofy Stunt
In hopes baristas all will grunt
Their shameful cause with glee?
And after all the names are scrawled
What’s proven when the cups are called?
Petty Pomposity!

By Emily Dickinson:

Bring me the sunset in a cup,
Reckon the morning's flagons up
And say how many Dew,
Tell me how far the morning leaps –
Tell me what time the weaver sleeps
Who spun the breadth of blue!

Write me how many notes there be
In the new Robin's ecstasy
Among astonished boughs –
How many trips the Tortoise makes –
How many cups the Bee partakes,
The Debauchee of Dews!

Also, who laid the Rainbow's piers,
Also, who leads the docile spheres
By withes of supple blue?
Whose fingers string the stalactite –
Who counts the wampum of the night
To see that none is due?

Who built this little Alban House
And shut the windows down so close
My spirit cannot see?
Who'll let me out some gala day
With implements to fly away,
Passing Pomposity?

Middle's Cool

11/20/2016

Although he was born in 1803, Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request) remains one of the most influential figures in popular culture and the world of poetry. Dickinson’s life and work still inspires creative thinkers worldwide thanks to his enduring imagery, his artfully cultivated celebrity, and the ongoing research of dedicated scholars at the Emmett Lee Dickinson Applied Research and Education Center in historic Washerst, PA (the birthplace of America’s greatest poet).

Pictured below: The Emmett Lee Dickinson Applied Research & Education Center on the Municipal Pier in Washerst, PA.

Dickinson’s impact as an artist, a scientist and an inventor is far deeper and greater than one can even imagine because his omnivorous curiosity resulted in an enormous body of work that spanned almost every field of study. Recent research has established that Dickinson invented the art form that led to today’s mannequin challenge (HERE) and that he predicted global warming (HERE), and it has uncovered new paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe inspired by and dedicated to the poet (HERE).

Now, with a recent investigation in conjunction with Anita Moore-Mooney, the Eustace K. Woogler Professor of Drama, Gender and Sexuality at Yale University and a world-renowned Middle School Dance Historian, we have uncovered evidence that Emmett Lee Dickinson invented the middle school dance.

Pictured at the right: Middle school dance historian, Anita Moore-Mooney

The origin of the middle school dance is referenced in Dickinson’s now-classic poem “I have to dance upon my Toes” (below on the left). His poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem “I cannot dance upon my Toe” (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

I have to dance upon my Toes –
The Girls all tower me –
But even so, among my mind
A Cool possesseth me,

For I have knowledge of the Dance –
To get myself a broad
With Boogie moves to shame the Rest –
And lay a Rival, mad,

And though I had no pants that fit
No Product, in my Hair,
I charmed the other Students – a Bird
With Feathers in the Air,

I tossed my shape across the Room,
I rolled around the floor
Till I was out of sight, in sound,
The House encore me so –

Now they all know I know the Art
I mention – easy – Here –
Even though our Middle School
Is full of Drama –

By Emily Dickinson:

I cannot dance upon my Toes –
No Man instructed me –
But oftentimes, among my mind,
A Glee possesseth me,

That had I Ballet knowledge –
Would put itself abroad
In Pirouette to blanch a Troupe –
Or lay a Prima, mad,

And though I had no Gown of Gauze –
No Ringlet, to my Hair,
Nor hopped to Audiences – like Birds,
One Claw upon the Air,

Nor tossed my shape in Eider Balls,
Nor rolled on wheels of snow
Till I was out of sight, in sound,
The House encore me so –

Nor any know I know the Art
I mention – easy – Here –
Nor any Placard boast me –
It's full as Opera –

House Warming

11/18/2016

In mid-October I received an email with the subject line "Spring is Right Around the Corner." Uh huh -- just getting ready for global warming. Winters will be a thing of the past.

Then there's this from The Washington Post: "Political people in the United States are watching the chaos in Washington in the moment. But some people in the science community are watching the chaos somewhere else — the Arctic."

Yep. Currently, the North Pole is 36 degrees warmer than it normally is at this time of year. The complete Post article is HERE.

Of course, in all the Washington chaos referenced in the Post article, one must remember that not a single question was asked about climate change in the recent presidential debates. Not that a question on global warming would have made any difference -- but at least we could have pretended that we care about the Earth and the environment.

Interestingly enough, global warming was foreshadowed in the now-classic poem "Me, change? Me, alter?" (below on the left) by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). His poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem "Me, change! Me, alter!" (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

Me, change? Me, alter?
But I can’t, behind the Ever-faster Wheel
A Hotter Planet grows –
At sunset, with a greater glow
Flashing with Radiation –
The Earth’s superior close!

By Emily Dickinson:

Me, change! Me, alter!
Then I will, when on the Everlasting Hill
A Smaller Purple grows –
At sunset, or a lesser glow
Flickers upon Cordillera –
At Day's superior close!

By the way, I hear that Iceland is considering changing its name to "Slushland," and Greenland is considering keeping its name as "Greenland."

Freeze Frame

11/17/2016

Surely by now you’ve seen videos on YouTube or Instagram with responses to the “Mannequin Challenge”?

The Mannequin Challenge is a viral Internet video trend where people remain frozen in action like mannequins while a video is recorded. According to Wikipedia, the phenomenon was started by students in Jacksonville, FL, and their initial posting inspired works by many other groups, including professional athletic teams, celebrities, music groups, and even political campaigns. Lately the videos posted have become increasingly more complex and elaborate.

In 2008, Improv Everywhere performed "Frozen Grand Central," a precursor of the mannequin challenge involving hundreds of people in a flash mob style in New York City's Grand Central Terminal. Other similar acts around the world preceded that, and the entire idea of posing as mannequins dates back to Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed -- at her request).

He conceived the idea in the late-1800s, and wrote about it in his now-classic poem “A little room of mannequins” (below on the left). His poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem “A little road not made of man” (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

A little room of mannequins,
Deceiver of the eyes,
Assembled here to thrill and be
On YouTube for surprise.

If views it have, beyond itself,
'Tis viral I can say
I only wait – until the next
Fad carries me away.

By Emily Dickinson:

A little road not made of man,
Enabled of the eye,
Accessible to thill of bee,
Or cart of butterfly.

If town it have, beyond itself,
'Tis that I cannot say;
I only sigh – no vehicle
Bears me along that way.

Dickinson’s ground-breaking work with this type of performance art led to the development of Tableau Vivant, a silent and motionless group of people arranged to represent a scene or incident. Tableau Vivant was all the rage in the later-1880s, and many groups created poses representing poems by Emmett Lee and Emily Dickinson.

Below: Two groups in the 1800s create Tableau Vivant depictions of poems by Emily Dickinson. On the left, "I taste a liquor never brewed," and on the right, "Because I could not stop for Death."