THIS IS THE SECOND OF THREE POSTS IN OUR COUNTDOWN TO VALENTINE'S DAY 2020:
Today’s featured song, “Please, Mr. Postman,” was written by Brian Holland, Freddie Gorman, Georgia Dobbins, Robert Bateman, and William Garrett, and it was inspired by Emmett Lee Dickinson’s poem “Is there a letter from my World,” which in turn inspired Dickinson’s third cousin Emily to pen her poem “This is my letter to the World.”
Emmett Lee Dickinson wrote "Is there a letter from my World" one evening after tiring of Emily Dickinson’s “constant whining” (his words in a letter to his sister, Qwerty Anne Dickinson) about never receiving letters from her various man-crushes.
One such crush was Betram Jeter Hogwood, a Knocker-Up at Amherst College. Hogwood would wake students for classes by knocking on their doors and windows with sticks. After Hogwood moved to Boston to care for his ailing mother, Emily pined for him and sent unanswered letter after unanswered letter.
Today’s featured song, “Please, Mr. Postman,” was written by Brian Holland, Freddie Gorman, Georgia Dobbins, Robert Bateman, and William Garrett, and it was inspired by Emmett Lee Dickinson’s poem “Is there a letter from my World,” which in turn inspired Dickinson’s third cousin Emily to pen her poem “This is my letter to the World.”
Emmett Lee Dickinson wrote "Is there a letter from my World" one evening after tiring of Emily Dickinson’s “constant whining” (his words in a letter to his sister, Qwerty Anne Dickinson) about never receiving letters from her various man-crushes.
One such crush was Betram Jeter Hogwood, a Knocker-Up at Amherst College. Hogwood would wake students for classes by knocking on their doors and windows with sticks. After Hogwood moved to Boston to care for his ailing mother, Emily pined for him and sent unanswered letter after unanswered letter.
| Pictured at the right: A letter from Emily Dickinson to Bertram Jeter Hogwood: "My Bert, I am distressed beyond measure at your absence. Believe me, be what it may, you have all my affection, and my constant, earnest thoughts. If ever of any act of mine you should be in need, let me reply with the Laureate, "Speak that I live to hear!" I pray you will guide a Note to your Postman's Hand. I shall entreat him – “Stop. Wait a minute, Mr. Postman. Is there a letter in your bag for me?” I am timidly hopeful. Emily" |  |
 | Pictured at the left: Bertram Jeter Hogwood Hogwood was a Knocker-Up at Amherst College in the 1880s, and he would wake students for classes by knocking on their doors and windows with "knocking sticks" or "waking sticks." In the photograph at the left, Hogwood is shown waking students at the Cohan Dormitory at Amherst College in Amherst, MA. Emily Dickinson first met Hogwood at a lecture, "Facts Worth Knowing About the Oyster," in Hooker Auditorium at Mount Holyoke College. |
During one of Emmett Lee Dickinson's visits to his cousins' home in Amherst, Emily complained regularly and repetitively that her correspondence to "My Bert" was one-sided. In response to her bellyaching, Dickinson wrote "Is there a letter from my World" (below on the left). Dickinson's poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem "This is my letter to the World" (below on the right).
| By Emmett Lee Dickinson: Is there a letter from my World That never wrote to Me – With simple News my Boyfriend tells – With tender Majesty Is his Message committed Please check your bag to see – For love of Him – Sweet – Mr. Postman – Check once again – for Me | By Emily Dickinson: This is my letter to the World That never wrote to Me – The simple News that Nature told – With tender Majesty Her Message is committed To Hands I cannot see – For love of Her – Sweet – countrymen – Judge tenderly – of Me |
| Please Mr. Postman Oh yes, wait a minute Mr. Postman (Wait) Wait Mr. Postman Oh yeah (If there's a letter in your bag for me) Please, please, Mr. Postman (Why's it takin' such a long time) Oh yeah (For me to hear from that boy of mine) There must be some word today From my boyfriend so far away Please Mr. Postman look and see If there's a letter a letter for me I've been standin' here Waitin' Mr. Postman so patiently For just a card or just a letter Sayin' he's returning' home to me Mister Postman (Mister Postman look and see) Oh yeah (If there's a letter in your bag for me) Please, please, Mr. Postman (Why's it takin' such a long time) Oh yeah (For me to hear from that boy of mine) So many days you passed me by See the tears standin' in my eyes You didn't stop to make me feel better By leavin' me a card or a letter Mister Postman (Mister Postman look and see) Oh yeah (If there's a letter in your bag for me) Please, please, Mr. Postman (Why's it takin' such a long time) Why don't you check it and see one more time for me You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute Wait a minute, wait a minute Mr. Postman Ooh Mr. Postman (Mr. Postman look and see) C'mon deliver the letter, the sooner, the better Mr. Postman Aaah |  Pictured below: The Bertram Jeter Hogwood Museum in Boston, MA. includes the world's largest collection of Knocking Sticks and Waking Sticks in the world -- and hundreds of letters to Bertram Hogwood from Emily Dickinson.  |
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