I'm thinking about someone today that I love and miss, someone who sent me many poems including this funny little one by Emily Dickinson. I loved it then and I love it now. It makes me smile. I learned there's nothing wrong in being a nobody. Don't you agree?
THE NOBODY CLUB
I’m nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there ’s a pair of us — don’t tell!
They'd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog.
To tell your name the livelong day,
To an admiring bog! ~~Emily Dickinson
I love Emily Dickinson. My parents once gave me one of my favorite gifts - the complete poems of Emily Dickinson. Who is your favorite poet?
It's a refreshing poem in today's society where everyone wants to be famous!
I like Emily Dickinson, too. "These are the days when birds come back" and "There is a certain slant of light" as well as "There is no frigate like a book" are among my favorites. Thanks for putting her poem to beautiful photos! I haven't read "I am nobody! Who are you?" for a loooong time.
I don[t know why, but that little poem always creeped me out. Who wants to be nobody? Of course I don't want to be a public frog either. Surely there's a middle ground?
Thanks for sharing this. One of my favorites was given to me by a dear family friend when I was quite a bit younger, wishing I would hurry and grow up already. By Edna St. Vincent Millay
Grown-up
Was it for this I uttered prayers,
And sobbed and cursed and kicked the stairs,
That now, domestic as a plate,
I should retire at half-past eight?
I think sometimes there is comfort in being a nobody since there are no expectations. I imagine that celebrities who can't walk down the street without being accosted by paparazzi wish sometimes they could be nobodies. Thanks for sharing this, Cathy. Did you ever see The Belle of Amherst? I saw it on Broadway years ago when Julie Harris starred. Now it is back on Broadway with Joely Richardson.
I'm happy to be a nobody. There's too much drama in being somebody. 😀 Lovely poem.
Favorite? So difficult. But the two that come to mind straight away are, Mary Oliver and Wendell Berry. Truly, I cannot imagine not having their words to draw from.
Lovely share Cathy, images, poem, the gift, lovely.
What a beautiful way to present that poem! I love your touches Cathy - just amazing!
I just started the first line of that poem, and my daughter repeated the rest by heart. There's something about knowing I've introduced her and her sister to great literature that makes me feel like I did OK as a homeschooling mom.
Next to my husband (!), Emily Dickinson, Mary Oliver and Billy Collins are my favorite poets. I love the photos you chose to accompany this poem. So beautiful.
I love Emily! I mentor a couple of high school students and one of them is a talented poet and wants to make that her career some how. Its been a bit of a challenge to steer her into the right direction but we had the greatest conversation on this poem yesterday.
And here it is again today...
Ahhh what a nice reminder to pull her works out and read again! Studie her in college and I adored her work. Thanks so much for the wonderful post and reminder! At times, we all feel like nobody...and that's ok!
I remember hearing -- I think this is correct -- that all her poems were left in a desk. And after her death, a family member found them and had them published and that is why we know of her amazing gift today.
This is a wonderful one.
Oh yes I love that and poems by any author. I love how you put pictures to the poem. Nice touch.
Edna St. Vincent Millay...my candle burns at both ends, it won't last the night, but oh my friends and oh my foes, it gives a lovely light