November 20, 2012

One day is there of the series

By Joe

One day is there of the series

Emily Dickinson

One day is there of the series Termed “Thanksgiving Day” Celebrated part at table Part in memory – Neither Ancestor nor Urchin I review the Play – Seems it to my Hooded thinking Reflex Holiday Had There been no sharp subtraction From the early Sum –          Not an acre or a Caption Where was once a Room Not a mention whose small Pebble Wrinkled any Sea, Unto such, were such Assembly,          ‘Twere “Thanksgiving day” –

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About Joe

I began my life in the South and for five years lived as a closeted teacher, but am now making a new life for myself as an oral historian in New England. I think my life will work out the way it was always meant to be. That doesn't mean there won't be ups and downs; that's all part of life. It means I just have to be patient. I feel like October 7, 2015 is my new birthday. It's a beginning filled with great hope. It's a second chance to live my life…not anyone else's. My profile picture is "David and Me," 2001 painting by artist Steve Walker. It happens to be one of my favorite modern gay art pieces. View all posts by Joe

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 20th, 2012 at 8:43 am and posted in Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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5 responses to “One day is there of the series”

• silvereagle
  November 20th, 2012 at 6:10 pm

  This one is difficult (at least for me) to comprehend…I even checked it on line and found no commentary, only the poem itself…..and until now, it was unknown in any manner by this mortal….Thanks, from confused!!

  Reply
• Jay M.
  November 20th, 2012 at 7:43 pm

  I must agree with silvereagle! I am flummoxed! Oh for some of that analysis that the guy we know as Closet PROFESSOR usually adds in! ;-)Peace <3Jay

  Reply
• JoeBlow
  November 20th, 2012 at 10:59 pm

  This poem was new for me also, but I love Dickinson. I believe that the series she is speaking of is that of the yearly series of holidays, with thanksgiving being a day of feasting and of memory. However, she also seems to be giving commentary on how we should be thankful everyday, even over small seemingly insignificant things such as the ripple in the water that a pebble makes and for the supreme nature of things such as the sun rising each day. Dickinson was a recluse but she seems to believe that because she does not venture out as much, she can see all of the mundane things that we should be grateful for and should profess those daily and not merely at thanksgiving.

  Reply
• silvereagle
  November 21st, 2012 at 9:58 am

  JoeBlow — Thanks for your thoughts….the title of the poem threw me off completely…and then the words in their order pulled m down and under!!! Good to have a professor on call!!!

  Reply
• pier roberto giannelli
  November 23rd, 2012 at 10:18 pm

  As an admirer of this blog and blogger, a professor in real life, and a published poet (whatever that's worth), I think I understand down to "reflex holiday"–but is that a celebration done automatically, as a reflex? or after thinking, on reflection? After that, it's anybody's guess, I guess. My guess is that she's saying, very "slant," that there would have been a real reason for thanksgiving IF the group had suffered no losses; but, as we know, it had. She's being subversive. At least that's my impression.

  Reply