 | THREE UPDATES IN TODAY'S POST: 1. "I'm Nobody? Who are you?" inspired by "'Nobody' by Somebody"? 2. The first-edition volume from 1894 signed by Lavinia Dickinson -- where is it? 3. Collected Poems, 1924 vs. 1991 -- what is going on?  1. Back on September 13, my daily post included Dickinson’s poem “I’m Nobody! Who are you?” (HERE), and I made this comment: |
“The poem ‘Nobody by Somebody’ was published anonymously in the Hampshire and Franklin Express on April 4, 1956. It included the line, ‘Sign yourself “Nobody,” quick as you can.’ Scholars note that the Dickinson family regularly read this local Amherst newspaper, and some suggest that the earlier poem's focus on anonymity could have inspired Dickinson's playful poem on identity and public fame. I tried to find the full text of the poem and/or an archive of the paper online, but so far -- no luck! I've contacted the Amherst Historical Society for help! I'll provide an update if I hear from them.”
Well, I did hear from them. Alas, they said, “The Amherst Historical Society does not maintain document archives due to the conservation needs of such materials. I suggest you contact the Jones Library Special Collections. They may be able to help you.”
So I did. I emailed them yesterday at 4:01 p.m. I received a response at 4:36 p.m.:
“I was able to find the poem on microfilm. I printed it and then snapped a photo for you—it’s attached.”
WOW – now that’s what I call service! I emailed back to thank them, and I complimented them on their quick, efficient service!
And now, without further ado, here is the poem “NOBODY, by Somebody” from 1856.
So I did. I emailed them yesterday at 4:01 p.m. I received a response at 4:36 p.m.:
“I was able to find the poem on microfilm. I printed it and then snapped a photo for you—it’s attached.”
WOW – now that’s what I call service! I emailed back to thank them, and I complimented them on their quick, efficient service!
And now, without further ado, here is the poem “NOBODY, by Somebody” from 1856.
 |  |
2. Back on September 11, I published a post about an incredible find at UVA’s Shannon Library: I happened upon a first-edition volume from 1894 signed by Dickinson’s sister Lavinia (info HERE about the find, and info HERE about how I responded).
About a week later, I was back at the library to check on the book – was it transferred from the main library to the special collections library? I wrote about it HERE. In short, no -- they could not account for the book at that time.
I was back at both libraries yesterday. The volume was NOT back on the shelf in the main library – the pic below – and the staff at the Special Collections library said they were too busy at that time to check. However, I did hear from the library staff later in the day:
About a week later, I was back at the library to check on the book – was it transferred from the main library to the special collections library? I wrote about it HERE. In short, no -- they could not account for the book at that time.
I was back at both libraries yesterday. The volume was NOT back on the shelf in the main library – the pic below – and the staff at the Special Collections library said they were too busy at that time to check. However, I did hear from the library staff later in the day:
| “Our colleague Anne let us know you were in the Special Collections reading room today and asked about the status of the first edition volume signed by Lavinia Dickinson. As Krystal noted (in response to an email I had sent earlier), we’re looking into it. We’re grateful for your thoughtful care and advocacy! With thanks on behalf of the curatorial team.” |  |
Here’s what I replied:
Thanks for the email.
I just want to make sure that the book does not disappear. Not being a librarian, I'm not sure of the process of transferring a book from Shannon to Small -- so I hope all is well with the book. ;-)
I've been reading and taking notes on a book at Small with "Three Views" on Dickinson -- last week I read the first; today, the second -- so I'll likely be back next week to finish up with the third.
OH -- and just a reminder: The book in question is the first of a two-volume set. Volume 2 remains on the shelf at Shannon (and the space that Volume 1 occupied is there as well). Volume 2 is not signed by Lavinia Dickinson, but was owned by the same person -- and both were donated to UVA by the same owner.
Thanks for the email.
I just want to make sure that the book does not disappear. Not being a librarian, I'm not sure of the process of transferring a book from Shannon to Small -- so I hope all is well with the book. ;-)
I've been reading and taking notes on a book at Small with "Three Views" on Dickinson -- last week I read the first; today, the second -- so I'll likely be back next week to finish up with the third.
OH -- and just a reminder: The book in question is the first of a two-volume set. Volume 2 remains on the shelf at Shannon (and the space that Volume 1 occupied is there as well). Volume 2 is not signed by Lavinia Dickinson, but was owned by the same person -- and both were donated to UVA by the same owner.
Sooo...I'll check on this again next week. Stay tuned.
3. On September 18, I wrote about a “mystery” – certainly a mystery to me – surrounding Dickinson’s poem “Because I could not stop for Death.” Here are the deets in a nutshell:
All the details about this are HERE.
Below, left to right: Dickinson's original version of the third stanza; Mabel Loomis Todd's edited version of the stanza; and the stanza as it appears in 1924's The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson.
- Dickinson wrote the poem in 1862.
- Mabel Loomis Todd and Thomas Wentworth Higginson included the poem in the first collection of Dickinson’s poetry published in 1890. They titled it “The Chariot,” they omitted the fourth stanza, and they made other modifications to the poem as well.
- The poem showed up again in The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson published in 1924. The book was a compilation of Poems (1890), Poems, Second Series (1891), Poems, Third Series (1896), and The Single Hound (1914). However, a DIFFERENT version of “Because I could not stop for Death” showed up in that volume. Line 10 was changed – and I have no idea why.
All the details about this are HERE.
Below, left to right: Dickinson's original version of the third stanza; Mabel Loomis Todd's edited version of the stanza; and the stanza as it appears in 1924's The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson.
 |  |  |
Below: 1924's The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson was a compilation of the four other books -- so why was just one line of one poem changed? (Line 10 in "Because I could not stop for Death")
However, there’s an added layer to all of this:
On my summer trip to New York City, Boston, and Amherst, I spent a bit of time at the public library in Medford, MA, just outside of Boston. There, I discovered, Emily Dickinson, Collected Poems, published in 1991, and it too – like the 1924 volume mentioned above – is a compilation of the 1890, 1891, 1896 and 1914 books.
On my summer trip to New York City, Boston, and Amherst, I spent a bit of time at the public library in Medford, MA, just outside of Boston. There, I discovered, Emily Dickinson, Collected Poems, published in 1991, and it too – like the 1924 volume mentioned above – is a compilation of the 1890, 1891, 1896 and 1914 books.
 |  |  |
But get this:
“Because I could not stop for Death” was changed back to the 1890 version of the poem edited by Mabel Loomis Todd.
The two books are BOTH compilations of the 1890, 1891, 1896 and 1914 books -- BUT THEY CONTAIN DIFFERENT VERSION OF "BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP FOR DEATH."
Are there any Dickinson scholars/researchers out there who can explain what in the world is going on? LOL.
“Because I could not stop for Death” was changed back to the 1890 version of the poem edited by Mabel Loomis Todd.
The two books are BOTH compilations of the 1890, 1891, 1896 and 1914 books -- BUT THEY CONTAIN DIFFERENT VERSION OF "BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP FOR DEATH."
Are there any Dickinson scholars/researchers out there who can explain what in the world is going on? LOL.
RSS Feed
