| Today marks the 139th anniversary of Emily Dickinson’s death. She died on May 15, 1886 at the age of 55. The last letter she wrote to her cousins consisted of just two words, “Called Back” – and those two words are etched into her tombstone. I wrote about that yesterday, HERE. Interestingly, Mabel Loomis Todd gave Dickinson’s poem “Just lost when I was saved!” the title “Called Back” when she published it in the “Second Series” of the poet’s “Poems” in 1891. |  |
For information about Dickinson’s death and funeral, check out this page from the Dickinson Museum’s site, HERE.
From that page, “Emily Dickinson was interred in a grave Sue had lined with evergreen boughs, within the family plot enclosed by an iron fence.” Pictures of the family plot are below.
From that page, “Emily Dickinson was interred in a grave Sue had lined with evergreen boughs, within the family plot enclosed by an iron fence.” Pictures of the family plot are below.
I also found this travelogue (HERE) written by someone who had visited Amherst – including Dickinson’s gravesite – in 2002, and it makes mention of the plaque on the iron fence dedicated to the “poetess”: “‘The Dickinson Kinsfolk’ (members of the extended family, as no direct descendants of Squire Dickinson survived beyond 1943) enclosed the plot with an iron fence and affixed the plaque seen at right in 1954.”
Seriously? Was the term “poetess” being bandied about in the 1950s? I s’pose so!
I looked up the usage of the word and – to be honest – I’m not so sure I’m picking up what Google’s putting down here! LOL. Here’s what I found – and it suggests that the usage of “poetess” from the 1950s to 2019 declined only slightly? I mean seriously, who uses the word “poetess" these days?
Seriously? Was the term “poetess” being bandied about in the 1950s? I s’pose so!
I looked up the usage of the word and – to be honest – I’m not so sure I’m picking up what Google’s putting down here! LOL. Here’s what I found – and it suggests that the usage of “poetess” from the 1950s to 2019 declined only slightly? I mean seriously, who uses the word “poetess" these days?
And just FYI: Dickinson was writing poetry at that time of peak usage for “poetess” in the chart above. However, she wrote eight poems that included the word “poet,” and not a single one with the word “poetess” – and in the eight poems, she used both feminine and masculine pronouns in regards to the “poet." Just an observation.
In closing, here are the opening stanzas to Dickinson’s “This was a Poet” – and surely, the lines describe Dickinson’s gift:
This was a Poet –
It is That
Distills amazing sense
From Ordinary Meanings –
And Attar so immense
From the familiar species
That perished by the Door –
We wonder it was not Ourselves
Arrested it – before –
In closing, here are the opening stanzas to Dickinson’s “This was a Poet” – and surely, the lines describe Dickinson’s gift:
This was a Poet –
It is That
Distills amazing sense
From Ordinary Meanings –
And Attar so immense
From the familiar species
That perished by the Door –
We wonder it was not Ourselves
Arrested it – before –
INFO FROM THE EMILY DICKINSON MUSEUM:
Today, we'll be remembering Emily Dickinson on the 139th anniversary of her death.
Here are a few ways you can honor the poet:
In a remarkable obituary for The Springfield Republican, Susan Dickinson described her sister-in-law’s unique creative gift in these words: “A Damascus blade gleaming and glancing in the sun was her wit. Her swift poetic rapture was like the long glistening note of a bird one hears in the June woods at high noon, but can never see.”
Special thanks to all who supported the Museum by making a donation at our Poetry Walk. A daisy has been placed at Dickinson's grave for each of you and your loved ones.
Today, we'll be remembering Emily Dickinson on the 139th anniversary of her death.
Here are a few ways you can honor the poet:
- Share your favorite poem and tag the Museum on socials.
- Plan your visit to the place she called home.
- Make a supporting gift in honor of her poetic legacy.
In a remarkable obituary for The Springfield Republican, Susan Dickinson described her sister-in-law’s unique creative gift in these words: “A Damascus blade gleaming and glancing in the sun was her wit. Her swift poetic rapture was like the long glistening note of a bird one hears in the June woods at high noon, but can never see.”
Special thanks to all who supported the Museum by making a donation at our Poetry Walk. A daisy has been placed at Dickinson's grave for each of you and your loved ones.
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