The Great Mirror of Same-Sex Love - Poetry - 5. …Emily to Susan Gilbert…

She and Gilbert had been pledged in secret to one another for seven years when she penned this rather upset poem. Gilbert was the love of Dickinson's life, and her love letters to her are amazing examples of essayed compositions. I guess that will be the next entry in the prose section of the Mirror

I enjoyed reading this; I especially liked the way she plays with the Protestant imagery so common in her day to talk about a love quite antithetical to the men who ran the churches. 

On 8/28/2021 at 10:20 AM, Parker Owens said:

I enjoyed reading this; I especially liked the way she plays with the Protestant imagery so common in her day to talk about a love quite antithetical to the men who ran the churches. 

Quite perceptive, Parker, especially if you go to the link in the footnote and see the more overtly religious examples this poem is framed by. I'm very intrigued by No. 1736, where she seems to make references to Jesus' partner ("the disciple whom Jesus loved" = 15th century wording for "boyfriend") .   

That’s a fascinating reading of 1736.  Thank you for including access to it in the footnote. 

On 8/28/2021 at 11:46 AM, Parker Owens said:

That’s a fascinating reading of 1736.  Thank you for including access to it in the footnote. 

You are most welcome, my friend