"Taking Off Emily Dickinson's Clothes" by Billy Collins (poetry reading)

Emily Dickinson lived 18301886. In later years, Emily's habit was a white dress. "Sudden dashes" refer to her idiosyncratic punctuation. She rarely left her family home in Amherst. She was a recluse for the latter part of her life, hiding behind the door when she had visitors.

It's a fairly safe bet that she died a virgin. However "I Would Like to Apologise to the Class" by Wendy Molyneux is amusing.
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2006/11/9molyneux.html

The final picture of of Emily's House in Amherst.

Billy Collins was Poet Laureate of the US 2001 to 2003.

To look at something with a jaundiced eye (i.e. a yellow eye) is to take a disapproving view of it.

You can hear Billy Collins read this poem - and some of Emily's poetry here:
http://tinyurl.com/2wkl6fu
Billy Collins says "There are many speculations about her...Was she lesbian? Was she celibate? Did she have an affair? and I was driven to write a poem in which I attempted in a playful way to put the matter to rest by having sex with her".

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Taking
• Off
• Emily
• Dickinson's
• Clothes
• Billy
• Collins
• poem

[sunnyrosegarden]

Perhaps I was not clear enough - the POEM is intrusive, disrespectful and licentious.

I was not referring to a comment someone made but rather to the Collins Poem.

How dare he talk about a deceased person with such disrespect.

[SpokenVerse]

@sunnyrosegarden Thanks. I understood what you said. I was pulling your leg.

[sunnyrosegarden]

How inappropriately intrusive, disrespectful and licentious! 

[SpokenVerse]

@sunnyrosegarden I couldn't agree with you more. It's the best quality stuff, right enough.

[earlgreytempest]

sexy in the best way and poor Emily Dickinson has no idea

[gooddogmac]

Wonderful poem - really like it



[bizintin]

@sunnyrosegarden Dearest Sunnyrosegarden, Perhaps it is a celebration of her and of her life.

[bizintin]

@earlgreytempest Perhaps she does have an idea. Perhaps she touched the poet to write her experience. I remember that upon her death poems were burned that were deemed unappropriate for the world to know. But we know, here now, in the directct link from Emily to the Muse and to Mr. Collllins pen. And I celebrate it all.

[bizintin]

I weep in the joy of this poem and in the reading of it. Such joy, such joy.

[Key0fZ]

I feel like there are people using "post modern" in very odd ways in this comment section. But, then again, post modern might as well be a big WTF sign as it's nebulous at best.

And for anyone who thinks Collins is being serious: perhaps you should read up on your Emily Dickinson poetry. Collins clearly references her famous poems at the end and also her writing style - you know, the one where she includes dashes at seemingly odd places. This was a metaphorical undressing and exploration folks.

[stephan1ewr1tes]

I think I'm turned on LOL!

[FreshDoodooMix]

@SpokenVerse ...starting to see poets as complete snobs these days. I can't help but think, "get over yourself, mate". Some postmodern poetry in particular really gets on my moobs. When people try to be minimalistic, I don't see the appeal. Anyway, I'll go elsewhere with my rantings, sorry to fill up your video's comment page with my anger there!

[timray99]

Collins is a very talented university poet, i do not care for him but he is much better than Kerouac...i like Emily

[zenafied]

I love his mention of the dashes in their conversation. It really does make it seem like it is her voice he is undressing.

[ThisIsAnagrammed]

You know when you dig deep into someone’s poem, you get this feeling you know them in an astonishingly personal way. Not only just watching their though process but hearing their confessions. I think Billy Collins is writing about his experience of reading Emily Dickinson. The many layers of clothes worn at that time represents the older language she wrote in and how extra effort is needed to boil down words in order to find the naked meaning in her poems.