In various posts in the past, I’ve quoted this line from Dickinson in a letter to her mentor Thomas Wentworth Higginson:
"When I state myself, as the Representative of the Verse - it does not mean - me - but a supposed person.”
However, with some of my recent posts – where I have shared a couple of Dickinson’s poems with volcano imagery – I noted that scholars believe the poems to be, very likely, metaphorical self-portraits of the poet.
What about “Ah, Teneriffe – Receding Mountain,” another poem with volcanic imagery, sent to her sister-in-law Susan in December 1863? Is that work a metaphorical portrait of Susan Dickinson?
The version sent to Susan does differ in interesting ways from the version she penned as a more general poem – that is, for me and you (vs. “you, Susan”) – on sheet five of Fascicle 36.
"When I state myself, as the Representative of the Verse - it does not mean - me - but a supposed person.”
However, with some of my recent posts – where I have shared a couple of Dickinson’s poems with volcano imagery – I noted that scholars believe the poems to be, very likely, metaphorical self-portraits of the poet.
What about “Ah, Teneriffe – Receding Mountain,” another poem with volcanic imagery, sent to her sister-in-law Susan in December 1863? Is that work a metaphorical portrait of Susan Dickinson?
The version sent to Susan does differ in interesting ways from the version she penned as a more general poem – that is, for me and you (vs. “you, Susan”) – on sheet five of Fascicle 36.
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The mountain – in the letter written to Susan – is “retreating” instead of “receding” – and later in the poem, the mountain is “heedless” vs. “passive.” There are other interesting alternate word choices as well.
Of course, the most intriguing differences occur in the seventh/sixth lines of the poems. To Susan, Dickinson wrote, “Thigh of Granite – and thew – of Steel”; that line in her more general version of the poem becomes “Eye of Granite – and Ear of Steel.”
Hmm…which poem seems to have a bit more heat beneath the surface?
Of course, the most intriguing differences occur in the seventh/sixth lines of the poems. To Susan, Dickinson wrote, “Thigh of Granite – and thew – of Steel”; that line in her more general version of the poem becomes “Eye of Granite – and Ear of Steel.”
Hmm…which poem seems to have a bit more heat beneath the surface?
PLEASE NOTE: I will have no daily posts for the next few days due to travel plans. I’ll post again as of next Friday, August 1. And yes – you read that right. AUGUST!!!
Tempus fugit!
Tempus fugit!
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