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Open Poetry #13
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Letter to Emily Dickinson
| Open Poetry #13 |
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Letter to Emily Dickinson |
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Mabel A. Dilley Senior Member
since 2001-03-17
Posts 859Seattle, WA, USA |
 Re: Death Whose If Is Everlasting Oh, Emily, I am so confused: that uppercase is so out-dated. I mean dead is one thing. Death still another. Everlasting is no easy word to use these days. You were well acquainted with the grand abstractions you kept coming back to but for me there is the perpetual problem of register, keeping things sort of loose and conversational. I mean Eternity, whisked away by a man in black tails, what kind of a line would that make in a poem? I remain uncertain what you meant when you said what you said about If being Everlasting. Was it that we will never know? Death is some continual conundrum, or were you getting to an end to all the questions, and If's and dark contingencies that plague today, a kind of setting to rest Maybe's forever? Some sing of Mother Death, so smooth and seductive. But you were never easy like that, Emily, when you went out, you went with formal escort, chaperone, the kiss always only on the hand, and only at mid-day on the main street. I must assume you found a place where If is not a word that maters. Graphics by the Erin Foundation "I am not now that which I have been." |
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| © Copyright 2001 Mabel A. Dilley - All Rights Reserved | |||
Interloper
since 2000-11-06
Posts 8369Deep in the heart |
Let's hope that's where she is  Didn't she believe in reincarnation?Live for love. Without love, you don't live. |
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PoeticKnight Senior Member
since 2000-01-20
Posts 1144New Orleans, LA |
I love Emily Dickinson, and you really asked some questions I had of my own. This is a great tribute also. |
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RMW Senior Member
since 2001-03-21
Posts 1424 |
Julian....Ah....Emily. Such a heart throb. Sigh...that I might have a ladder...to attend you at your window. Bob |
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Gentle Spirit Member Patricius
since 2000-10-09
Posts 13989 |
Julian, wonderful penning about one of my own personal favorites. This was worthy of Emily's own personal library. *s* On the wings of words our spirits fly....and our souls are free. |
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Mabel A. Dilley Senior Member
since 2001-03-17
Posts 859Seattle, WA, USA |
Interloper: I can not be sure of Emily's whereabouts at present; however I can answer affirmative to her belief in reincarnation. PoeticKnight: I have savored each word the woman penned and still come to a wall of questions. Thank you for thinking this worthy of a tribute to the old gal. RMW: the ladder awaits quietly by the apple tree kind Sir. Gentle Spirit: thank you for your kind words. "I am not now that which I have been." |
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Wilfred Yeats Member Elite
since 2000-08-04
Posts 2704Wilmington, Delaware |
great Emily thoughts - (she's one of three I hold in high esteem): Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Edna St. Vincent Millay the third.) I am still learning about my fav poets - and gathering new: Anne Sexton, and Sharon Olds write poetry I believe will stand the test of time as well. = I'd like you to write a comparable (to this) piece on/for Ms Millay- whould you like to rise to the challenge? ~G~ |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
Now Mabel, our friend Emily was a tad obsessive actually, quite an extremest in fact about some matters relating to her personal attention, being a real perfectionist. She has left many unanswered questions in a lot of her work, and I like that! Now, should I like to be wisked away by a man and feel love everlasting - yes! Now what is everlasting, that is quite a different matter, and I think that her fear of death made that a commonly used word in her poetry. I should be so lucky that when as many years have passed, someone will question, "did I find a place where the word "if" never mattered", for I too am the only one knows of that answer. I LOVED this! Now Wilfred there and I, so it would appear, have the same taste in female poets, and he challenged you to a piece on Ms. Millay, and some time when you find time how about tackling Elizabeth Barrett Browing? Now she is someone I think I understand, but what "if" I am not sure? Great work as usual, Shalom! Please visit me at my new homepage: |
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Mabel A. Dilley Senior Member
since 2001-03-17
Posts 859Seattle, WA, USA |
Wilfred: thank you so much for having fun with this piece of flutter. Now onward, I shall request of the muse, her Grace, for a few words lent to Ms. Millay's bent. Mysteria: loved your response and thank you for bringing a smile to my face during work hours. EBB, you say. Why not? "I am not now that which I have been." |
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Temptress
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-06-15
Posts 7136Mobile, AL |
I just couldn't pass up a poem concerning my favorite poet. I enjoyed this! |
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Mabel A. Dilley Senior Member
since 2001-03-17
Posts 859Seattle, WA, USA |
Thank you, Temptress, it was hard to pass up an opportunity to have a bit of fun with her, so I didn't pass up that opportunity. "I am not now that which I have been." |
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nakdthoughts Member Laureate
since 2000-10-29
Posts 19200Between the Lines |
Julian... this was written by a poet friend I made on line, who died not too long ago..it was so wonderful it inspired many of my writings... I hope they are allowing to remain for the public...it's called Correspondence With Emily by Robert Kogan http://www.geocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/9483/dearem.html I hope you enjoy it as I often go to his site to read and enjoy some wonderful poetry..he has been published..but many of his poems are on here at this URL... http://www.geocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/9483/ I happened upon him when searching another favorite poet of Wil Yeats...Walter Benton... Wynter/Maureen..I enjoyed this and it's memory and the recall of Robert "The worst prison would be a closed heart". ...Pope John Paul II [This message has been edited by nakdthoughts (edited 04-26-2001).] |
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Mabel A. Dilley Senior Member
since 2001-03-17
Posts 859Seattle, WA, USA |
nakdthoughts: how marvelously you have enriched by evening by gifting my with Robert's words. What creativity! Absolute genius to wrie in response to Emily. Thank you so very much! ~Shalom "I am not now that which I have been." |
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