emily, i am tired —
emily, what shall i write?
I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you – Nobody – too?
i’m nobody, just like you —
that is, not quite
Then there’s a pair of us!
Don’t tell! they’d advertise – you know!
or, worse, make us advertise —
that modern curse of self-promotion
How dreary – to be – Somebody!
How public – like a Frog –
or, the worst of all —
the weary cult of self-devotion
To tell one’s name – the livelong June –
To an admiring Bog!
emily, it’s almost december
emily, i’ll say goodnight
A poetic dialogue with Emily Dickinson’s poem I’m Nobody! Who are you?
