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Don't Drink and Write

12/31/2018

From our 19th century historian, Eudora Dickinson:

If you’ve spent any time around a heavy drinker, then you know that when the alcohol starts pouring, the drinker might engage in any number of things that he or she would likely never think about or at the least do more cautiously when sober.

In the case of Emmett Lee Dickinson, after he had a few too many drinks, he’d retire to his room and write poetry – what is now referred to as “drunk poetry,” the precursor to drunk texting.

On New Year’s Eve in 1853, Dickinson had a few too many Champagne Cocktails, and he wrote what is now a classic in the area of study known as “drunk poetry,” a poem called, “You’re cute” (below on the left). The poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem, “That Love is all there is” (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

You’re cute
No really – you’re so cute –
I love ya – no I mean it – I really love ya –
And that love is all there is,
That’s all we need to know of love –
Right? Am I right?
Damn I’m starving right now.

I love you so much –
This is the best night of my life
It is enough – that the night should be
Propositioned – I mean proportioned –
OMG, we should hang out more
That would be groovy –

You’re so cute –

By Emily Dickinson:

That Love is all there is,
Is all we know of Love;
It is enough, the freight should be
Proportioned to the groove.

Happy New Year! Don't drink and write.

Make Light Of

12/31/2018

From our art columnist, Jarvis MacKinnon III:

Members of the Dickinson Organization of Poetry Enthusiasts strolled through Georgetown in Washington, DC, last night to view, "Georgetown Glow," the region's only curated exhibition of public light art installations.

Below: Pics from some of the installations:

We had a great night (and wonderful weather -- considering it was late December). The art installations called to mind the opening lines of a poem by Emmett Lee Dickinson (below on the left). His poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen a poem with a similar opening (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

There’s a certain Slant of light,
Winter Afternoons –
That amuses, like the Lift
Of Helium Balloons –

By Emily Dickinson:

There's a certain Slant of light,
Winter Afternoons –
That oppresses, like the Heft
Of Cathedral Tunes –

Goo Goo G'joob

12/30/2018

From our entertainment editor, Qwerty Lee Dickinson:

Every now and then a poem by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request) re-surfaces because people realize that the lines are the very ones that inspired the Beatles to compose lyrics for one of their hits. Information on the connection between the Beatles and Emmett Lee Dickinson is HERE.

It has happened again – a Dickinson poem related to a song by the Beatles has re-surfaced. This time, though, the interest is not related to the lyrics of the Beatles. Instead, the lines seem to reflect what is going with the Trump-shutdown of our government.

“I am proud to shut down the government,” said Trump. “I will take the mantle of shutting down…I will not blame the Democrats,” he told Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi.

Now Trump is flip-flopping like a dying fish on a pier – all because he’s the “Wall Nut,” just like the creature mentioned in the lines by Emmett Lee Dickinson (below on the left).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

I am he as he is me and him and he
Are we are all together
See how I run for pig on a bun
See how I fly
I'm whining

Sitting on a gold throne
Waiting for the Man to come
Corporation T-shirt, stupid bloody Witch Hunt
Man I've been a naughty boy
I let my face grow orange

I am the liar
Pants are on fire
I am the Wall Nut
Goo goo g'joob

By the Beatles:

I am he as you are he as you are me
And we are all together
See how they run like pigs from a gun
See how they fly
I'm crying

Sitting on a corn flake
Waiting for the van to come
Corporation T-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday
Man you've been a naughty boy
You let your face grow long

I am the egg man
They are the egg men
I am the walrus
Goo goo g'joob

The F-Word, Part 4

12/28/2018

From Jim Asher, the world's leading authority on Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request):

This is the fourth and final post on the December 10 Birthday Tribute to Emily Dickson at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC.

Part 1 -- about Jan Bervin's presentation based on Jay Layde's work -- is HERE.

Part 2 -- about Martha Nell Smith's presentation about correspondence between Emily Dickinson and her sister-in-law -- is HERE.

Part 3 -- about Martha Nell Smith's use of the F-word (no no, no -- not THAT F-word) -- is HERE.

Part 4 -- In this part I will share thoughts and pictures about my day in Washington DC on the following day, Tuesday, December 11.

THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION

I have visited Washington, DC, many times in the past, but I'd never been to the Phillips Collection, so I started my day there. The museum -- which touts itself as the first museum of modern art -- includes two paintings by Edward Hopper.

Edward Hopper was greatly influenced by the life and poetry of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). Info about the Hopper-Dickinson connection can be found on this site HERE and on various plog (poetry blog) posts, HERE (scroll through the various posts).

The Phillips Collection also had a few paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe -- another artist heavily influenced by Emmett Lee Dickinson.

For information, check the posts HERE, and scroll through other posts HERE.

Pictured at the right: The Phillips Collection includes a painting by Paul Cezanne of a seated woman in blue holding the first volume of poems by Emmett Lee Dickinson (as shown below).

Below: Other shots from the Phillips Collection:

Click to enlarge the image at the left to read about Jacob Lawrence's migration series; some of the paintings in the series are shown below:

THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Next I visited the National Portrait Gallery (which is in the same building as the Smithsonian American Art Museum). My main reason for going to the NPG was to see the official portraits of the Obamas -- both of whom are great fans of Emmett Lee Dickinson.

Several years ago I sent the Obamas copies of my books Great American Poems REPOEMED.

I later received the nice postcard shown at the right (click the image to enlarge).

Pictured at the left: The museum had a special exhibit highlighting its daguerreotype collection. Two of the portraits were related to Emmett Lee Dickinson: one was of his sister Pythagoria; another was of his close friend Henry David Thoreau.

Pictured at the right: The museum includes a drawing called "The Death Bed of the Martyr President Abraham Lincoln," and it includes a likeness of Emmett Lee Dickinson (shown near the back left).

Dickinson and Lincoln were best friends (information is HERE), and Dickinson was devastated when Lincoln was assassinated.

More on the connection between Dickinson and Lincoln is included in the posts HERE.

Other connections to Emmett Lee Dickinson: Below left: A work by Andy Warhol -- who was greatly influenced by Dickinson (information HERE). Below right: The world of art's fascination with cows and cattle (information HERE).

Below left: Artworks that take a new look at American history. Below right: Folk art by Bill Traylor.

Below: Shots from around the museum.

Below: An upper floor in the museum includes a number of paintings of Emmett Lee Dickinson's family members:

Pictured at the right: One last connection to Emmett Lee Dickinson: an artwork depicting a hotdog. Hotdogs were invented by none other than Emmett Lee Dickinson.

Many people asked Dickinson for the ingredients in a hotdog, but he never told anyone.

"What is a hotdog made of?" he would say. "All I can tell you is that a ballpark frank is pure poetry."

The F-Word, Part 3

12/27/2018

From Jim Asher, the world's leading authority on Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request):

I attended the 188th Birthday Tribute to Emily Dickinson at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, on December 10.

At the tribute, Jan Bervin, one of the editors of The Gorgeous Nothings, spoke on the work of Jay Layde in documenting the life and work of Emily Dickinson. I wrote about Ms. Bervin's presentation in "The F-Word, Part 1" HERE.

After Bervin spoke, Martha Nell Smith, the president of the Emily Dickinson International Society, talked on the letters between and relationship of Emily Dickinson and Susan Hutchinson Dickinson, Austin Dickinson's wife. I wrote about Ms. Smith's presentation in "The F-Word, Part 2" HERE.

In both Parts 1 and 2 I mentioned that at the event, Ms. Smith used the F-word (hence, the title for my posts).

No, no, no! NOT THAT F-WORD!

Okay. Here's what happened.

After Bervin and Smith spoke, there was a very short panel discussion -- along with Madeleine Olnek, the director of the new film Wild Nights with Emily -- with questions from the audience.

Following the Q&A, everyone funneled into the "Great Hall" for a treat, a taste of wine and a piece of Emily Dickinson's Black Cake made by a local baker.

Pictured at the right: A splash of some white wine (hey, it was free, so I can't complain) and a piece of Emily Dickinson's Black Cake.

After the cake, I stopped by the library's small gift shop where I picked up a copy of Open Me Carefully, a volume of letters between Emily Dickinson and Susan Dickinson edited by Ellen Louise Hart and Martha Nell Smith.

After making my purchase, I made my way to a table where Bervin and Smith were signing copies of their books.

Since I already own a copy of The Gorgeous Nothings, edited by Jane Bervin, Marta Werne, and Susan Howe, I did not purchase another one. Instead, I explained to Ms. Bervin that my copy of her book was at home, and I asked her to sign my program for the evening's event.

Pictured below left: The Folger's program for the Emily Dickinson Birthday Tribute -- which included a copy of Dickinson's poem "Wild Nights -- Wild Nights" in the poet's handwriting. Below center: Bervin's signature on my program. Below right: Smith's book, Open Me Carefully.

Pictured at the right: Smith signed her book by quoting a line from her presentation (with a line from a letter written by Susan Hutchinson Dickinson): "For James -- Poetry is Sermon -- Hope -- Solace -- Life -- Martha Nell Smith."

When Ms. Smith handed me the signed copy of her book, she asked something like, "Have we met before?"

I reminded her that we had, indeed, met two years ago when I had attended the EDIS annual conference in Amherst and also last year when I had attended the 187th Birthday Tribute at the Folger.

Then I added, "and I help to maintain a site about Emily Dickinson's third cousin, Emmett Lee Dickinson."

That's when it happened -- the F-word.

"That's you," laughed Smith with a broadening smile on her face. "You're fantastic!"

Hmm. Maybe it was, "You're fabulous" I can't remember. But it was one of those two F-words -- either "fantastic" or "fabulous."

Aw shucks -- I'm sure I was blushing.

I was just thankful she didn't call for security to have me removed from the premises. Poetry, after all, is a serious business. Yes, I take my humor seriously, but I always hope that people don't think my parodies and funny-business aren't disdainful about third cousin Emily. On the contrary. We, too, at the Emmett Lee Dickinson Museum are in awe of Emily's work.

Border Dispute

12/27/2018

From our current affairs editor Lemuel Stuart III:

For two years the GOP held the White House and both Houses of Congress -- and not one Red cent went to build "the Wall." Now that the Democrats are taking control of the House, why should they put any money toward Trump's crazy scheme? The government shut down is Trump's mess. Let him wallow in it.

Hopefully the Democrats will hold out so that Trump will "seek in vain" for funding -- especially after his "bait and switch" claim that Mexico would pay. What a scam.

Of course, this calls to mind Emmett Lee Dickinson's poem "Never for Society" (below on the left). Dickinson's poem inspired third cousin to pen her poem with the same opening line (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

Never for Society
He shall seek in vain –
With his own incompetence
Bait and switch – and Scam
Wiser Men will weary –
Of the Man’s con game

Never knew Insanity
Like this wacky whim
For a Walled Up Border –
That’s the Hate in Him –
Now let deconstruction
Begin – but on him –

By Emily Dickinson:

Never for Society
He shall seek in vain –
Who His own acquaintance
Cultivate – Of Men
Wiser Men may weary –
But the Man within

Never knew Satiety –
Better entertain
Than could Border Ballad –
Or Biscayan Hymn –
Neither introduction
Need You – unto Him –

A wall? A fence? A beaded curtain?

I think I have come up with a solution to Trump's problem -- invisible fencing! That's right -- he can put up "invisible fencing" along the border -- and then say that Mexico will pay for the shock collars. His gullible clan will fall for it! Then he can finally say, "Mission Accomplished! The fence is complete -- BUT IT'S INVISIBLE!"

Affairs to Remember

12/27/2018

From our senior book reviewer, Philo Remington:

I have just returned home from Chicago -- lots of pictures below!

I traveled to the Windy City with members of the Dickinson Organization of Poetry Enthusiasts to attend various gala events in honor of Chicago haikuist and patron of the arts, Mary Steinberg, to celebrate the publication of her book When They Go Low, We Go Haiku, a clever collection of close to 200 haikus about our unindicted co-conspirator-in-chief, Donald Trump, and his band of his mismanaging misfits.

First up was a bookish event at the Poetry Foundation where Ms. Steinberg read selections from her volume of humorous haikus, and she delighted the audience. The event was hosted by Cindy Lauper, and Ms. Steinberg was introduced by Jim Asher, the world's leading authority on Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). It was Dickinson who invented the haiku. Information is HERE.

Pictured at the left: Mary Steinberg, author of When They Go Low, We Go Haiku, preps for a private event at the Poetry Foundation with a sound check.

Photographs were not allowed during the actual event.

Guests included Cindy Lauper, John Prine, Ricky Gervais, Rita Dove, Lily Tomlin, and more.

Next up was a more raucous event where Steinberg was the guest of honor at a showing of The Second City's new revue, "Algorithm Nation, or the Static Quo," staring Ryan Asher, Tyler Davis, Jeff Murdoch, Emma Pope, Nate Varrone, and Kimberly Michelle Vaughn.

Below left: Sights from The Second City. Below right: Ms. Steinberg meets the cast.

Other events included cocktails and additional readings by Ms. Steinberg at The Up Room, an intimate 13th-floor lounge atop the art deco Robey Hotel in Wicker Park (below left) and at Cindy's, a vaulted glass and steel rooftop bar at the Chicago Athletic Association (below right)

The view from The Up Room:

The view from Cindy's:

Pictured at the left: The event at Cindy's was hosted by Michelle Obama, and the former First Lady presented Ms. Steinberg with an autographed photo of her holding Ms. Steinberg's new book, When They Go Low, We Go Haiku.

To view Ms. Steinberg's website on When They Go Low, We Go Haiku, click HERE.

To contact Ms. Steinberg for more information about her book, click HERE.

Below: Scenes in and around Chicago:

The F-Word, Part 2

12/24/2018

From Jim Asher, the world's leading authority on Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request):

I attended the 188th Birthday Tribute for Emily Dickinson at the Folger Shakespeare Library on December 10, 2018.

This is Part 2 of my recap of the event. Part 1 is HERE.

After Jen Bervin’s presentation on Jay Layde’s work, Martha Nell Smith, the president of the Emily Dickinson International Society, spoke about “an unintentional” lie she helped promulgate in her work in presenting her dissertation years ago. Before she confessed the lie, though, she asked those in attendance to keep a quote in mind – one in a letter to Susan Dickinson from Emily Dickinson:

"Dear Sue ~ With the exception of Shakespeare, you have told me of more knowledge than any one living -- To say that sincerely is strange praise.”

‘Twas then Ms. Smith divulged her lie – that Susan Dickinson was not all that important to Emily Dickinson.

To be honest, though, this view – that Susan’s role in Emily’s life was slight – was more a “false fact,” a belief accepted as truth in its day rather than a deliberate lie.

Ms. Smith then reminded the audience of her opening quote and took time to set the record straight. Interestingly enough, it was Jay Leyda who – when he learned that Ms. Smith researched the letters of Emily Dickinson – advised her to spend her career in righting this misconception, “for Susan Dickinson had been greatly wronged.”

In truth, Emily Dickinson wrote more letters to Susan than any other person with whom she corresponded (and we’re talking hundreds of more letters) – and the main culprit in creating and perpetuating this myth (an "alternative fact" in today's lingo) was none other than Mabel Loomis Todd, Austin Dickinson’s mistress.

Much of Smith’s work to undo the decades of tangled tales and perceptions is presented in her book Open Me Carefully, an insightful collection of some of Emily Dickinson's thirty-six year correspondences with her childhood friend, neighbor, and sister-in-law.

Slowly but surely, the record is being straight on Susan Hutchinson Gilbert Dickinson, who – in a letter to Curtis Hidden Page – noted that “Poetry is Sermon – Hope – Solace – Life.”

After Smith’s presentation there was a short panel discussion with Bervin, Smith, and Madeleine Olnek, the director of the new film “Wild Nights with Emily.”

Later in the evening was when Smith blurted out the “F-Word” (as I noted in Part 1) – but no no, no – NOT that “F-Word.” But more on that later. I promise to get to that in Part 3 of this review. Coming soon.

The F-Word, Part 1

12/23/2018

From Jim Asher, the world's leading authority on Emmett Lee Dickinson, Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request:

I attended the birthday tribute to Emily Dickinson at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC on December 10th, and there I conversed with Martha Nell Smith, the president of the Emily Dickinson International Society – and she used the “F-word.”

NO, NO, NO – not THAT “F-word.” A different “F-word.” But I’ll get to that later – perhaps in Part 2 of this post? For now, dear reader, read on about the event.

I arrived in the Capitol Hill area of Washington with little time to spare, so I had a quick dinner at the nearby Santa Rosa Taqueria. The restaurant’s Happy Hour special included chips and queso – and TWO margaritas. Yes, I was travelling alone, but what’s a poet to do? TWO margaritas.

Pictured at the right: The Happy Hour special at the Santa Rosa Taqueria included TWO margaritas!

“The Soul achieves — Herself (or “Himself, in my case) — To drink” ~ Emily Dickinson

I made it to the Folger Shakespeare Library with a little time to spare, and when I took my seat I was a bit perplexed by the set up on the stage – more specifically, by the information on the initial slide projected on the screen:

“Emily Dickinson’s 132 Birthday Tribute.”

Huh?

I wondered why the screen said “132 Birthday Tribute,” when December 10, 2018, marked Emily Dickinson’s 188th birthday.

Pictured at the left: My somewhat-blurry picture of the opening slide welcoming the audience to "Emily Dickinson's 132 Birthday Tribute."

Had the Folger Shakespeare Library been around that long? Was this the library’s 132nd tribute celebrating Emily Dickinson’s birth? No. I googled-search information about the library, and it was built in the 1930s.

Had the Poetry Society of America – a sponsor for the event – been around for 132 years or more? Was this their 132nd birthday tribute to the Belle of Amherst? No. I google-searched that too. The PSA was founded in 1910.

After some additional sleuthing I realized that whoever made the slide based the calculation of Dickinson’s age on the year of her death, 1886: 2018 – 1886 = 132.

Oops.

“We turn not older with year, but newer every day.” ~ Emily Dickinson.

On December 10, 2018, Emily Dickinson turned 188 years new: 2018 – 1830 (the year of her birth) = 188.

The main event for the evening included presentations by Martha Nell Smith, a founding board member and current president of the Emily Dickinson International Society (EDIS), and Jan Bervin, an editor of The Gorgeous Nothings, a full-color facsimile edition of Emily Dickinson's manuscripts as she wrote it on scraps of paper and torn envelopes.

Bervin spoke first and presented information on the work of Jay Leyda, a filmmaker and film historian who is also noted for his work on documenting the life and poetry of Emily Dickinson.

Bervin showed slides of the original letters between Leyda and Theodora Ward and Thomas. H. Johnson (editors of The Letters of Emily Dickinson, the three volume edition published by the Belknap Press of Harvard University in 1958), Millicent Todd Bingham (daughter of David Peck Todd and Mabel Loomis Todd), Mary Landis Hampson (the last surviving resident at the Evergreens, the home of Austin Dickinson and his family), and more.

Bervin’s information proved that assembling complete and accurate volumes of Dickinson’s was no easy task for many reasons -- including working through the tangle of the Dickinson’s family history, deciphering the poet's handwriting, dealing with multiple versions of many of the poems, and more.

“This is a nasty business,” she said. “But there it is.”

Next up was Martha Nell Smith who promptly confessed that she based much of her early work and her dissertation on a lie, albeit, the unintentional telling of a lie. It was later in the evening that she used the “F-word.”

No, no, no – not THAT “F-word.”

But I’ll get to that next time! Watch for Part 2 of this post, coming soon!

Border Insanity

12/22/2018

From our political correspondent, Dorothy "Lottie" Dawe:

“I am proud to shut down the government,” barked Donald Trump during a recent Oval Office meeting with Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. “I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. I’m not going to blame you for it.”

Of course, the shutdown occurred after Trump's tantrum over not receiving five billion in funding for a border wall -- and who advised him to hold out for the money? Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. That's what we've become -- a country run by a criminal man-child with no adults in the room, and the nut-job is receiving advice from right-wing nuttier-jobs. And Trump is now backing away from his promise to take the mantle for this madness.

The entire fiasco calls to mind Emmett Lee Dickinson's now-classic poem "'Tis true -- They shut us in the Cold" (below on the left). Dickinson's poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem "'Tis true -- They shut me in the Cold" (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

‘Tis true – They shut us in the Cold –
But then – Themselves were warm
And could not know the feeling ‘twas –
Forget us – Trump – and Them –

Let not our Wellness hinder Them
In Cowardly deceit –
No Sacrifice for them – Confirmed
That he asked for the Blame –

The Harm he’s done – is long – And since
‘Tis we – who bore it – don’t
Forgive him – Even as he sinks –
We will – forgive not him –

By Emily Dickinson:

'Tis true – They shut me in the Cold –
But then – Themselves were warm
And could not know the feeling 'twas –
Forget it – Lord – of Them –

Let not my Witness hinder Them
In Heavenly esteem –
No Paradise could be – Conferred
Through Their beloved Blame –

The Harm They did – was short – And since
Myself – who bore it – do –
Forgive Them – Even as Myself –
Or else – forgive not me –