Emily Dickinson & the Five Colleges

Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –

We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed us –
The Dews drew quivering and chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –
My Tippet – only Tulle –

We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground –
The Roof was scarcely visible –
The Cornice – in the Ground –

Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity –

At Emily Dickinson's (1830-1886) Amherst, Massachusetts home there is a light that is kept on in her upstairs bedroom in honor of the evenings she would work there writing poems.

While Dickinson was a prolific private poet, fewer than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime. The work that was published during her lifetime was usually altered significantly by the publishers to fit the conventional poetic rules of the time. Dickinson's poems are unique for the era in which she wrote; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality.

There is no Frigate like a Book
To take us Lands away,
Nor any Coursers like a Page
Of prancing Poetry –
This Traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of Toll –
How frugal is the Chariot
That bears a Human soul.

During the 1850s, Emily's strongest and most affectionate relationship was with Susan Gilbert. Emily eventually sent her over three hundred letters, more than to any other correspondent, over the course of their friendship. Sue married Emily's brother in 1856. Edward Dickinson built a house for himself and Sue called the Evergreens, which stood on the west side of the Homestead.

In 1862 Emily wrote to Mr. Higginson's for his view of her work:

Mr Higginson,
Are you too deeply occupied to say if my Verse is alive?
The Mind is so near itself – it cannot see, distinctly – and I have none to ask –
Should you think it breathed – and had you the leisure to tell me, I should feel quick gratitude –
If I make the mistake – that you dared to tell me – would give me sincerer honor – toward you –
I enclose my name – asking you, if you please – Sir – to tell me what is true?
That you will not betray me – it is needless to ask – since Honor is it's own pawn –

Emily is buried with her family in the town cemetery.

The Outlet

My river runs to thee:
Blue sea, wilt welcome me?

My river waits reply.
Oh sea, look graciously!

I'll fetch thee brooks
From spotted nooks,—

Say, sea,
Take me!

In western Massachusetts where i was traveling there was a consortium of five campuses, 2,200 faculty members and 30,000 students in that included these institutions: Amherst College. Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and UMass Amherst.

I read that Mt. Holyoke was very beautiful so I drove by there and this is what I saw.

Sunday morning I went downtown Northampton where Smith College is located, and attended a Unitarian Society service in this dignified old building.

This is the brand new Sojourner Truth statue that was just dedicated in nearby Florence, Massachusetts.

Notice the flag - for Memorial Day.

I was in Atkins Farms Country Market - like a Whole Foods, but local and less expensive, when I saw this sign.
I think those fire-and -brimstone preachers from the 17th century still have their influence on Massachusetts Colony!