Did Emily Dickinson ever use the word “Valentine” in any of her poems?
Yes, she used “valentine” in the poem “‘Sic transit gloria mundi,’” and that poem was also published (anonymously) in the Springfield Republican in 1852 with the title “A Valentine.” That poem and an analysis can be read HERE.
Yes, she used “valentine” in the poem “‘Sic transit gloria mundi,’” and that poem was also published (anonymously) in the Springfield Republican in 1852 with the title “A Valentine.” That poem and an analysis can be read HERE.
| Earlier, in 1850, a letter she had sent to friend (and lover?) George Gould was published in the Amherst College “Indicator” as a valentine letter (though the letter does not use the word “valentine”). The letter begins with “Magnum bonum, ‘harum scarum,’” and can be read HERE. The Indicator was Amherst's monthly newspaper. Dickinson's letter, titled "Sir, I Desire an Interview", was a valentine to Gould, who was the editor of the magazine. The letter was published without a by-line. |  |
Gould was a close friend and early love interest of Emily Dickinson. He was a classmate of her brother Austin at Amherst College, where he studied theology.
Did Dickinson use any other Valentine-y words in her poetry?
She never used the word “Cupid,” although the online Dickinson archive will present one poem if you run a search for the word “Cupid” – and that poem is “A Bee his burnished Carriage”; however, that poem does not use the name “Cupid” but rather the word “cupidity” (see line 8).
A Bee his burnished Carriage
Drove boldly to a Rose--
Combinedly alighting--
Himself—his Carriage was--
The Rose received his visit
With frank tranquillity
Withholding not a Crescent
To his Cupidity--
Their Moment consummated--
Remained for him—to flee--
Remained for her—of rapture
But the humility.
Other Valentine-y words?
The word “chocolate” never appears in any of Dickinson’s poems, but there are a LOT of “flowers” – and “hearts” and “love.”
When you enter those words for searches on the online archive, “flowers” pops up with 225 entries, “heart” displays 283 entries, and “love” comes in with 266. Note that these are NOT the number of poems with these specific words, but the number of times the words are cited on the archive in various discussions and/or variations of a particular poem. For example, “A poor – torn heart – a tattered heart” has four separate entries, “The mind lives on the heart” has five entries, etc.
Alas, I did not have the time (nor energy) to dive into this completely – that is, to determine the actual number of poems per valentine-y word. I’ll complete that work another day.
Did Dickinson use any other Valentine-y words in her poetry?
She never used the word “Cupid,” although the online Dickinson archive will present one poem if you run a search for the word “Cupid” – and that poem is “A Bee his burnished Carriage”; however, that poem does not use the name “Cupid” but rather the word “cupidity” (see line 8).
A Bee his burnished Carriage
Drove boldly to a Rose--
Combinedly alighting--
Himself—his Carriage was--
The Rose received his visit
With frank tranquillity
Withholding not a Crescent
To his Cupidity--
Their Moment consummated--
Remained for him—to flee--
Remained for her—of rapture
But the humility.
Other Valentine-y words?
The word “chocolate” never appears in any of Dickinson’s poems, but there are a LOT of “flowers” – and “hearts” and “love.”
When you enter those words for searches on the online archive, “flowers” pops up with 225 entries, “heart” displays 283 entries, and “love” comes in with 266. Note that these are NOT the number of poems with these specific words, but the number of times the words are cited on the archive in various discussions and/or variations of a particular poem. For example, “A poor – torn heart – a tattered heart” has four separate entries, “The mind lives on the heart” has five entries, etc.
Alas, I did not have the time (nor energy) to dive into this completely – that is, to determine the actual number of poems per valentine-y word. I’ll complete that work another day.
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