Well, if you search the word “memorial” at the online Dickinson Archive, 70 entries pop up; however, that represents 28 different poems. However, Dickinson did not use the word “memorial” in 28 poems. For some reason, when you search “memorial,” the archive also picks up the word “memory,” and 26 of those 28 poems include the word “memory,” not “memorial.”
The two poems which actually use the word “memorial,” are “Water is taught by thirst” and “If I shouldn’t be alive.”
Today, for Memorial Day, my wife and I are going to Shenandoah National Park for a picnic. Hmm…did Dickinson ever use the word “picnic” in any of her poems?
Nope.
Have a nice holiday – and a nice picnic if you’ve planned one too.