| Dickinson described herself as “small, like the Wren, and my Hair is bold, like the Chestnut Bur- and my eyes, like the Sherry in the Glass, that the Guest leaves-” In response I checked to see if Dickinson ever used the word “sherry” in any of her poems – AND – I checked for other alcoholic terms as well – and all of that reminded me of this cartoon I saw long ago, “thirst editions” by John Atkinson. Of course, Mr. Atkinson’s chart might make one wonder what libations would top a similar list for poets – and what would the drink of choice be for Emily Dickinson? |  |
Well, for Emily Dickinson -- and her sister Lavinia -- the choice would be a keg of beer. There was nothing the sisters loved more than frat parties and keggers at Amherst college.
In 1849, Emily Dickinson wrote to her cousins Frances and Louisa Norcross. In her letter, Dickinson stated the following:
"There is to be a party at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house tomorrow night. They say that home is where the heart is ~ I think it is where the Sigma house is, and the adjacent buildings.
Vinnie and I will be happy amid this delightful kegger, and well we will drink our icy beers ~ and the world there will be so beautiful, and things so sweet and fair, that my heart will be soothed and comforted."
In 1849, Emily Dickinson wrote to her cousins Frances and Louisa Norcross. In her letter, Dickinson stated the following:
"There is to be a party at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house tomorrow night. They say that home is where the heart is ~ I think it is where the Sigma house is, and the adjacent buildings.
Vinnie and I will be happy amid this delightful kegger, and well we will drink our icy beers ~ and the world there will be so beautiful, and things so sweet and fair, that my heart will be soothed and comforted."
 | Well, I suspect you know that this post is a jest; however, yesterday I reported on the use of “drunkard” in Dickinson’s poems (the word is used in two poems), but I did not check upon the word “drunk” – and that word appears in three poems, “Had I known that the first was the last,” “One of the ones that midas touched,” “We – bee and I – live by the quaffing.” The latter two use the word to mean a state of inebriation; the first uses the word as the part participle of “to drink” – BUT – only in the Johnson version of the poem. The Franklin and Miller editions both use the word “mixed” instead. The Miller edition includes this note about the poem: “Matthew 19:30, ‘many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.’” |
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