That's What Friends Are For

From our 19th century historian Eudora Dickinson:

​In 1920, when Daniel Chester French sculpted the monumental statue of Abraham Lincoln for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, he shaped Lincoln's hands into the American Sign Language symbols for the letters “E” and “L.”  French, who as a child, attended the Emmett Lee School for Boys in Concord, Massachusetts, knew full well that Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request) was the best friend and confidant of the president.  Therefore, the sculptor formed Lincoln’s hands into the sign language “E” and “L” for Emmett Lee.

Dickinson was devastated when Lincoln was assassinated, and he slipped into years of depression.  During that time he wrote a short tribute to his friend, “Abraham to know him” (below on the left).  His poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem “Abraham to kill him” (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
 
Abraham to know him –
Was distinctly tall –
Emmett was an Urchin –
Abraham was bold –
 
Not with hesitation –
Abraham was tried –
Shattered yet Tenacious
Tyranny deferred –
 
Emmett – and his siblings
Lived to tell his tale –
Moral – with a Witness
Legends will prevail.
​

By Emily Dickinson:
 
Abraham to kill him –
Was distinctly told –
Isaac was an Urchin –
Abraham was old –

Not a hesitation –
Abraham complied –
Flattered by Obeisance
Tyranny demurred –

Isaac – to his children
Lived to tell the tale –
Moral – with a Mastiff
Manners may prevail.
​

Pictured below at the left:  American artist David Chester French who scultped the monumental statue of Abraham Lincoln for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

Pictured below at the right:  The boys' dormitory at the Emmett Lee Dickinson School for Boys in Concord, Massachusetts, where sculptor David Chester French attended school.

For more information about the friendship between Emmett Lee Dickinson and Abraham Lincoln, click HERE and HERE (scroll to the middle of the page). 

We have also written various plog (poetry blog) entries that focus on or feature Abraham Lincoln -- just scroll through our plog archives on the right and click on "Abraham Lincoln."