Sticking to It

I am doing everything within my power to make this a happy birthday. What I find within my power to make myself happy is to follow through with my thoughts. Thankfully, this is much easier to do these days. I finished the tv series "Dickinson" from Apple TV this week. I knew it would make me sad. It reminds me of when I finished Anne with an E during lockdown. The common thread from everything I enjoy is many. The beginnings are very graphic and Dickenson included Victorian images each episode. I loved the dresses, which were very April Cornell-like. I loved they used common modern slang while they talked, even if it was an historical piece representing the Victorian Period. Also, the music was modern. Many times they paid homage to rapping, which after all is poetry. And, finally each title was taken from her poems. There were 30 episodes for a total of fifteen hours spent with the Dickinson family. Some days I just wanted to jump in my car and drive to Amherst. But, I resisted. Then it made me want to take out my calligraphy supplies. I finally did this today, and made a little poem. I used die cuts to make the tiny pocket. And, used stickers from this book: . It contains many Victorian imagaes of books, fountain pens etc. I bought the book when I visited the New York Public Library. I am looking forward to making some more of these little poems and affirmations. I am also looking forward to getting another book of stickers I ordered for my birthday. I'll write more about it next time! I really enjoyed using a calligraphy pen set and use all of the inks. Sadly, the company Victorian Trading Company who made the ink set closed after covid. My mom loved to buy me a little something from this catalog each year. I also have decided to sell some of my other calligraphy supplies on ebay. They are just taking up room, because I haven't used them. The word forever took on a new meaning after watching this show. I read and reread the poem. And, it gives a more realistic view of the word forever. The saying nothing lasts forever is another way of looking at forever sadly. But, to think of forever as nows is a really nicer way of looking at forever. Forever – is composed of Nows – ‘Tis not a different time – Except for Infiniteness – And Latitude of Home – From this – experienced Here – Remove the Dates – to These – Let Months dissolve in further Months – And Years – exhale in Years – Without Debate – or Pause – Or Celebrated Days – No different Our Years would be From Anno Dominies – Reading an Emily Dickinson poem or learning about her in school. I always pondered how she was remembered and taught about in school. Watching the show I felt a kinship with her. I also felt she had a lot in common with Walt Whitman. And, I liked how they both wrote at the same time. And, they showed her reading "A Blade of Grass". Is it her writing about the Civil War that made her famous? They did show how she struggled with the idea of fame. Ironically any time she was published, her name was not mentioned. Her father was against her being published, because she was a woman.