From Jim Asher, the world's leading authority on Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request):
| “We turn not older with years, but newer every day.” ~ Emily Dickinson On December 10, 2017, Emily Dickinson turned 187 years new. On December 11, I attended an Emily Dickinson Birthday Tribute at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. Poet Sandra Gilbert (Professor Emerita of English at the University of California, Davis, literary critic and poet) explored the contemplation of death and grief in Dickinson’s poetry and her own. |  |
Pictured at the right: The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC
Below left: Following the poetry readings, Sandra Gilbert was interviewed by Alice Quinn, the Executive Director of the Poetry Society of America. Below center and right: Following a Q&A session, there was a reception with samples of Emily Dickinson's "Black Cake."
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Below far left: Sandra Gilbert during her book signing. Below left: I purchased a copy of Gilbert's "Emily's Bread": "In these splendid poems, Sandra Gilbert imagines spiritual regeneration through the tradition pioneered by the two Emilys -- Emily Dickinson and Emily Bronte -- who are her emblematic foremothers." Below right: Another of Gilbert's books includes an Edward Hopper painting on the cover -- perhaps a nod to Emmett Lee Dickinson (Hopper was significantly influenced by Emmett Lee Dickinson -- info HERE). Below far right: I also bumped into Martha Nell Smith, the president of the Emily Dickinson International Society.
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When I get some time in the future, I'll write about the event and provide a list of Dickinson's poems presented.
As noted above, the focus of the event was the exploration/contemplation of death and grief in Dickinson’s poetry (and Ms. GIlbert's). For now, I'll pose a question: If you were to select and present TEN of Dickinson's poems on death and grief, which poems would you choose?
Also coming soon: I was able to spend some time today in Washington, DC, before driving home, and I was able to visit the Library of Congress and the East Building of the National Gallery of Art. There were lots of connections to Emily Dickinson and Emmett Lee Dickinson, so I'll have plog (poetry blog) posts about all of that soon!
 | Shout out to John-Michael on AirBnB. I stayed in one of his rooms during my quick trip to DC, and the room was very clean and comfortable. I did not meet John-Michael on this trip, but I suspect he was a hotelier in some former life and he did not miss any details to make me feel comfortable. If you have planning a trip to DC and would like to stay in the Capitol Hill area, I highly recommend John-Michael's accommodations. |
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