You do so much! And we do have so much to be grateful for especially now thanks be to God! I have no idea what the poem means but haven't thought too deeply. Blessings and peace!
Francis gave a great explanation for the Dickinson poem! Thank you so much for being such a good friend. I hope you can do Frost next summer. I think all the spaces will fill up next year (as they did this year).
I recently found your substack, via Steve Knepper's New Poetry Review.
Thinking of this somewhat mysterious poem by Emily Dickinson, I personally interpret it in a religious fashion: at first she sees Thanksgiving Day as it is now celebrated in the US: as a feast and a memorial.
Then, as she is neither of the past (ancestor) not future (urchin), she will consider the Day from a deeper perspective - that is, as a sacred drama (Play). Hooded thinking: a disguised or concealed identity, like Christ on the way to Emmaus. Dickinson is similarly 'Hooded', and in this mode recognises the celebration has fallen away from its true spiritual significance and is now 'merely' a 'Holiday'.
The 'sharp subtraction' signifies such a falling away from the sacred to the profane.
'Early Sum'; using a mathematical metaphor for the story of human salvation, she reminds readers that once there was a place (acre) and a Gospel narrative (Caption), focused on a Room (ie the Upper Room) where the Last Supper took place.
'whose small Pebble' ie St Peter, senior of the Apostles, whose name, changed from 'Simon' to 'rock' (or stone/pebble) and which, cast into the 'Sea' of humanity, caused many a ripple (or wrinkle).
The Hooded (concealed) authorial voice of the poet concludes: if indeed we moderns were able to envisage that Assembly - the twelve Apostles and their beloved Lord as He institutes the First Mass at His Last Supper - it would indeed be a true Thanksgiving Day: not just for US history in time and place, and human feasting, but thanksgiving for Christ Himself, come to dwell among mankind...
Thank you so much for this thoughtful explication of Dickinson’s poem. All of this sounds spot on, especially when looking at how she uses images in a religious sense in her other poems. I cannot wait to share with my daughter!
Thanks for this post, you busy woman. I somehow ended up with a 20 pound ham, so that's what I'm cooking today, plus sweet potato pie and mashed potatoes. Maybe a salad, if I get to it. My friend Stewart and his 90+ year old father are coming and bringing the rest of the food. I usually don't host at Thanksgiving because of my son's indifference to holidays and my lack of stamina at this age. But I'm trying again. I'm grateful Stewart's dad accepted, since he is blue after the death of his wife. A new agey lady with what she calls her angelic and healing harp has invited herself from the St. Ann Choir, so that will add some frisson to the day. Plus harp music ought to be an interesting entertainment. I got out the nice dishes, polished the brass candlesticks and the silverware. Lots left to do . . .. I don't understand the poem either.
Thank you so much, Felix. This is a fairly easy recipe — though I don’t know how easy it is to get Jiffy box mix in your neck of the woods. I am having a great time with family. But of course I am just so grateful to have any people around me. I take *nothing* for granted. I am so happy to see you back on Substack. Keep writing.
You do so much! And we do have so much to be grateful for especially now thanks be to God! I have no idea what the poem means but haven't thought too deeply. Blessings and peace!
Francis gave a great explanation for the Dickinson poem! Thank you so much for being such a good friend. I hope you can do Frost next summer. I think all the spaces will fill up next year (as they did this year).
Dear Zina,
I recently found your substack, via Steve Knepper's New Poetry Review.
Thinking of this somewhat mysterious poem by Emily Dickinson, I personally interpret it in a religious fashion: at first she sees Thanksgiving Day as it is now celebrated in the US: as a feast and a memorial.
Then, as she is neither of the past (ancestor) not future (urchin), she will consider the Day from a deeper perspective - that is, as a sacred drama (Play). Hooded thinking: a disguised or concealed identity, like Christ on the way to Emmaus. Dickinson is similarly 'Hooded', and in this mode recognises the celebration has fallen away from its true spiritual significance and is now 'merely' a 'Holiday'.
The 'sharp subtraction' signifies such a falling away from the sacred to the profane.
'Early Sum'; using a mathematical metaphor for the story of human salvation, she reminds readers that once there was a place (acre) and a Gospel narrative (Caption), focused on a Room (ie the Upper Room) where the Last Supper took place.
'whose small Pebble' ie St Peter, senior of the Apostles, whose name, changed from 'Simon' to 'rock' (or stone/pebble) and which, cast into the 'Sea' of humanity, caused many a ripple (or wrinkle).
The Hooded (concealed) authorial voice of the poet concludes: if indeed we moderns were able to envisage that Assembly - the twelve Apostles and their beloved Lord as He institutes the First Mass at His Last Supper - it would indeed be a true Thanksgiving Day: not just for US history in time and place, and human feasting, but thanksgiving for Christ Himself, come to dwell among mankind...
I do not think my interpretation too far-fetched.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful explication of Dickinson’s poem. All of this sounds spot on, especially when looking at how she uses images in a religious sense in her other poems. I cannot wait to share with my daughter!
Thanks for this post, you busy woman. I somehow ended up with a 20 pound ham, so that's what I'm cooking today, plus sweet potato pie and mashed potatoes. Maybe a salad, if I get to it. My friend Stewart and his 90+ year old father are coming and bringing the rest of the food. I usually don't host at Thanksgiving because of my son's indifference to holidays and my lack of stamina at this age. But I'm trying again. I'm grateful Stewart's dad accepted, since he is blue after the death of his wife. A new agey lady with what she calls her angelic and healing harp has invited herself from the St. Ann Choir, so that will add some frisson to the day. Plus harp music ought to be an interesting entertainment. I got out the nice dishes, polished the brass candlesticks and the silverware. Lots left to do . . .. I don't understand the poem either.
Wow! Good luck with everything! Francis was able to explain the poem. Have a blessed Thanksgiving! ❤️🙏🦃
Cornbread is a very good idea for Thanksgiving. Something to consider next year. I hope you have a beautiful time tonight with your family!
Thank you so much, Felix. This is a fairly easy recipe — though I don’t know how easy it is to get Jiffy box mix in your neck of the woods. I am having a great time with family. But of course I am just so grateful to have any people around me. I take *nothing* for granted. I am so happy to see you back on Substack. Keep writing.
Taking nothing for granted (apart from God) is, perhaps, the only truly rewarding way to live life.