(On Friday, 8 July 2011, I wrote about one of my Maternal Cousin Emily Elizabeth Dickinson's poems. This poem has NO TITLE (for she did not title her writings), but it is listed in the book of her poems that I have, by just the first line. The poem is below; and I added some comments below it.
ENJOY the poem!! And if you have never read any of her writings, you are in for a Journey of Heart and Thought. dht-2011)
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Your thoughts don't have words every day
They come a single time
Like signal esoteric sips
Of the communion Wine
Which while you taste so native seems
So easy so to be
You cannot comprehend its price
Nor its infrequency
[#1452 - A Poem by -- Emily Elizabeth Dickinson]
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Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet (and my maternal Cousin). Born in Amherst, Massachusetts.
WEB SITE
[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Dickinson ]
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DEF: "esoteric" Adjective: Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest.
In this poem, my Cousin EMILY says to ME that there are NOT words enough to describe every feeling and emotion that float through my mind every day. Moreover, that the meaning of some thoughts is confusing to some who do not know my circumstance or me. In addition, some 'words' when said or written have a 'price' that is a toll paid by the author for their effect on the emotions and attitude of self and others.
EMILY did not follow the typical path of a woman of her time for she never married. She lived a solitary life in her parent's home taking care of the household and her parents during their lifetime and illness and after their deaths and living alone in the homestead in Amherst, Massachusetts. She spent many hours conjugating the mental processes and writing down some of her feelings and thoughts about her life, nature, faith, love, death, and other topics. In over 1700 poems and writings, that are known about, she recorded on paper (by hand -- no computers or MSWord) her thoughts in 'words'. Today she is considered a genius with the use of words, and there are college courses, books, museums, and historical societies that are dedicated to reading her 'words' and analyzing each punctuation, phrase, topic, and nuance.
The EMILY DICKINSON MUSEUM comprises two historic houses in the center of Amherst, Massachusetts associated with the poet Emily Dickinson and members of her family during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Homestead was the birthplace and home of the poet Emily Dickinson. The Evergreens, next-door, was home to her brother Austin, his wife Susan, and their three children. The Museum was created in 2003 when the two houses merged under the ownership of Amherst College. Its mission is to educate diverse audiences about Emily Dickinson’s life, family, creative work, times, and enduring relevance, and to preserve and interpret the Homestead and The Evergreens as historical resources for the benefit of scholars and the general public.
WEB SITES
[ http://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/ ]
[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Dickinson_Museum ]
For myself, I believe EMILY'S 'words' and her poetry and writings can be best enjoyed when applied to my own life and experiences. In this way, I am internalizing her whispered words that murmur to my heart and that put a 'period' to my feelings and thoughts. Sometimes, I find that by reading something she has written, I am better able to gain clarity on a point in my life. Clarity helps remove the confusion and shadows that intrude and hinder the 'walk of life'. There are enough 'boulders' and 'rough seas' that make the Journey difficult!
I am reminded of a time that a DEAR FRIEND of mine, helped me to reach clarity at a time, a couple of years ago, when I was baffled and confused. My friend listened to me describe my status and said that it sounded like I was experiencing DEEP GRIEF. This was a welcome realization and helped me put into perspective the many confusing feelings and thoughts that floated through my mind and heart and fell softly on to my wet cheeks. Grief is a personal process that no 'words' can explain, but 'words' in a Poem, a Prayer, or from a DEAR FRIEND can help the healing process through the solitary feelings from loss of loved ones.
[Dorothy Hazel Tarr - 2011]
[Dorothy Hazel Tarr - 2011]
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