No Way!

Have you heard Meghan Trainor's latest hit "No"?  Did you know that it's based on a poem by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request).

As a teen, Trainor attended the Emmett Lee Dickinson School for Boys in North Eastham, Massachusetts, because her parents knew that she would receive the best possible education at ELD.  She attended the school as "Marcus Trainor."  While at the school, "Marcus" served as the captain of the rugby team, participated on the school's award-winning debate and grammar teams, and learned to play the guitar and tuba.  She also fell in love with the poetry of Emmett Lee Dickinson.

Below left:  Meghan Trainor's yearbook picture at the Emmett Lee Dickinson School for Boys as "Marcus Trainor."
Below right:  The Emmett Lee Dickinson School for Boys in North Eastham, Massachusetts.

Trainor's favorite poem by Dickinson is "I laughed in Pity -- not in Pain" (below on the left).  Dickinson's poem inspired third-cousin Emily to pen her poem "I cried at Pity -- not at Pain" (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
 
I laughed in Pity – not in Pain –
I heard a Player say
“Hey Babe” – and something in his voice
Disgusted me – of him
 
So long I grimaced, to myself
He seemed a common man,
With Stealth, and Laughter, Curious
     things –
He scanned me, like a Toy –
 
He’d sometimes say “I’ll buy” a drink
And I – my eyes I’d roll –
And take me, he supposed – to Heaven,
For he was made of Gold –
 
But not to touch, or wish for,
Or think of, with a smirk –
And so and so – he’d been to me,
Nothing but a jerk.
 
He wish he knew my name – “No!”
He hoped I come his way – “No!”
To hold my life – “No!”  and hold my –
     What?
In fear he heard me say – “No!”
 
I’m “sorry I am dead – tired” –
Just then I said Goodbye –
He sobbed himself almost to sleep,
“No!” my Lullaby!

By Emily Dickinson:
 
I cried at Pity – not at Pain –
I heard a Woman say
"Poor Child" – and something in her voice
Convicted me – of me –

So long I fainted, to myself
It seemed the common way,
And Health, and Laughter, Curious
     things –
To look at, like a Toy –

To sometimes hear "Rich people" buy
And see the Parcel rolled –
And carried, I supposed – to Heaven,
For children, made of Gold –

But not to touch, or wish for,
Or think of, with a sigh –
And so and so – had been to me,
Had God willed differently.

I wish I knew that Woman's name –
So when she comes this way,
To hold my life, and hold my
     ears
For fear I hear her say

She's "sorry I am dead" – again –
Just when the Grave and I –
Have sobbed ourselves almost to sleep,
Our only Lullaby –

Meghan Trainor based the lyrics of her new hit "No" (some of which are below) on Emmett Lee Dickinson's poem (above on the left) -- especially the second-to-last stanza.

NO

I think it's so cute and I think it's so sweet
How you let your friends encourage you to try and talk to me
But let me stop you there, oh, before you speak

Nah to the ah to the no, no, no
My name is no, my sign is no, my number is no
You need to let it go, you need to let it go
Need to let it go
Nah to the ah to the, no, no, no
My name is no, my sign is no, my number is no
You need to let it go, you need to let it go
Need to let it go
Nah to the ah to the no, no, no