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Emily Dickinson note from LF (1 of 2)

[LF: DICKINSON JOUSTED WITH GOD THROUGHOUT HER WRITINGS. SHE NEVER QUITE ACCEPTED THE ABSTRACT REMOVE OF GOD. JESUS WAS A HUMAN BEING WHO WALKED THE EARTH, AND DICKINSON ACCEPTED THAT FACT.

DICKINSON'S POEM #690 EXPRESSES HER POINT OF VIEW:

Victory comes late --
And is held low to freezing lips --
Too rapt with frost
To take it --
How sweet it would have tasted --
Just a Drop --
Was God so economical?
His Table's spread too high for Us --
Unless We dine on tiptoe --
Crumbs -- fit such little mouths --
Cherries -- suit Robins --
The Eagle's Golden Breakfast strangles -- Them
God keep His Oath to Sparrows --
Who of little Love -- know how to starve --

THIS IS ONE OF ED'S BITTEREST EXPRESSIONS OF ANGER AT GOD. "VICTORY" PROBABLY REFERS TO SALVATION, ALTHOUGHT IT COULD MEAN WINNING A HIGH PRIZE. IT COMES AT A GRAVE SCENE. HOW MUCH BETTER THE VICTORY WOULD HAVE BEEN EARLIER. BUT GOD SETS A TABLE TOO HIGH. HE GIVES CRUMBS OR CHERRIES (WHICH SUIT ROBINS). THEN THE EAGLE COMES, A MORE POWERFUL CREATURE (AKIN TO GOD), AND EATS THE LESSER CREATURES. MEANWHILE GOD KEEPS HIS OATH TO SPARROWS (SEE FOLLOWING) AND THEY LEARN HOW TO STARVE. THE SALVATION DEFINITION OF VICTORY CAN BE FOUND IN THE NOAH WEBSTER DICTIONARY WHICH THE DICKINSONS HAD IN THEIR HOME.

SPARROW REFERENCE: Luke 12: 6-7 "Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows."

SO, GOD IS AWARE OF ALL CREATUES, BUT THERE IS A PECKING ORDER: PEOPLE ARE BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL. STILL, VICTORY IS GAINED BY PEOPLE MUCH TOO LATE--AT THE GRAVE. BUT THE SPARROWS GO ON BECAUSE THEY HAVE LEARNED TO LIVE ON THE NOTHINGS DOLED OUT TO THEM BY GOD. NOTE: DICKINSON WAS ALWAYS AWARE OF NATURE. IN HER POETRY SHE NEVER SUGGESTED A HEIRARCY AMONG LIVING CREATURES, AS SHE SAYS HERE THAT GOD DOES. AS EVIDENCED BY HER POETRY AND LETTERS, ALL CREATURES WERE SACRED.]

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Emily Dickinson note from LF (2 of 2)

[LF: THE "CORRECTING" NOTED ABOVE WAS DESTRUCTIVE TO UNDERSTANDING DICKINSON'S TRUE VALUE. FOR EXAMPLE, HERE IS A POEM WHICH DICKINSON SENT TO HIGGINSON, "CORRECTED" IN AN ARTICLE WHICH HIGGINSON WROTE FOR ATLANTIC MONTHLY IN OCTOBER, 1981:

THE WHITE HEAT

Dare you see a soul at the white heat?
      Then crouch within the door;
Red is the fire's common tint,
      But when the vivid ore

Has sated flame's conditions,
      Its quivering substance plays
Without a color, but the light
      Of unanointed blaze.

Least village boasts its blacksmith,
      Whose anvil's even din
Stands symbol for the finer forge
      That soundless tugs within,

Refining these impatient ores
      With hammer and with blaze,
Until the designated light
      Repudiated the forge.

AND HERE IS THE WAY DICKINSON WROTE THE POEM. (SHE ONLY GAVE TITLES TO A VERY FEW OF HER POEMS, HOPING TO ENGAGE THE READER MORE DEEPLY):

# 365

Dare you see a Soul at the White Heat?
Then crouch within the door --
Red -- is the Fire's common tint --
But when the vivid Ore
Has vanquished Flame's conditions,
It quivers from the Forge
Without a color, but the light
Of unanointed Blaze.
Least Village has its Blacksmith
Whose Anvil's even ring
Stands symbol for the finer Forge
That soundless tugs -- within --
Re[f]ining these impatient Ores
With Hammer, and with Blaze
Untile the Designated Light
Repudiate the Forge --

DICKINSON EXPERIENCED SUCH EDITING OF HER POEMS IN HER LIFETIME. THIS CERTAINLY DID NOT LEAD HER TO SEEK HARDER FOR PUBLICATION. IN HER POEM # 709 SHE WROTE:

Publication -- is the Auction
Of the Mind of Man --
Poverty -- be justifying
For so foul a thing

Possibly -- but We -- would rather
From Our Garret go
White -- Unto the White Creator --
Than invest Our Snow --

Thought belong to Him who gave it --
Then -- to Him Who bear
Its Corporeal illustration -- Sell
The Royal Air --

In the Parcel -- Be the merchant
Of the Heavenly Grace --
But reduce no Human Spirit
To Disgrace of Price --

DICKINSON'S IDIOCYNCRATIC PUNCTUATION WERE REGARDED BY THOSE IN HER LIFTETIME, AND FOR A LONG TIME AFTERWARD, AS "ERRORS." THE DASHES, PECULIAR TO HER, WERE USED AS RHYTHMIC DEVICES, STOPPING THE READER FOR A INSTANT. THE CAPITALIZATIONS WERE ALSO IDIOSYNCRATIC, AND SERVED THE SAME PURPOSE--TO STOP THE READER FOR AN INSTANT. HER POETIC ENDEAVOR WAS ALWAYS DIRECTED AT INVOLVING THE READER. HER POETRY IS AMONG THE MOST COMPLEX EVER WRITTEN IN THE U.S. EDITOR'S WANTED TO "SMOOTH" THINGS OUT FOR READERS. SHE DIDN'T LIKE THAT.]

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Response from query to Brown University

Dear Mr. McCormick,

I have forwarded your message to George Landow in the event that he or others in his field might be interested in responding to your message.

I am sorry to say that Hyatt Waggoner was the head of our department at least 20 years ago, and has been deceased for many years. I do not know of anyone currently in the English Department who would be able to address your inquiry about him.

Good luck.

Heidi Ahmed

Heidi K. Ahmed
Department of English
Brown University
Box 1852

[Sent thank you note, 08 June 1998 18:13:22 -0400]

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