Edicts on E. Dicks- A podcast about the Apple TV+ show "Dickinson" and the poems of Emily Dickinson

In which we bring things to an end, with a discussion of mermaids, Julian of Norwich, and James Joyce's Ulysses. Because where would we be without that?  We bid adieu to a show that meant a lot to us as viewers, as readers and new-found fans of Emily, and as prospective creators ourselves. And we end on a poem that we hope the OG Emily herself would appreciate. Until Season 4- The Mabel Loomis Todd Season. Take care, everyone.

Happy Valentines Day!  The Dickinsibs resolve their conflict, Austin outs himself as a draft dodger, Mrs. Dickinson hops out of bed to sweep, and Emily reads out loud.  Oh, and I guess she f*cks too.  Meanwhile, Ben and Kyle discuss the inevitable struggles of parenting, horny Shakespeare, and their thoughts on Taylor Swift.  These are the days when Birds come back – A very few – a Bird or two, To take a final look – These are the days when skies resume The old – old sophistries of June – A blue and gold mistake. Oh fraud that cannot cheat the Bee, Almost thy plausibility Induces my belief, Till ranks of seeds their witness bear, And swiftly thro' the altered air Hurries a timid leaf – Oh Sacrament of summer days! Oh last Communion in the Haze – Permit a Child to join – Thy sacred emblems to partake – Thy consecrated bread to take – And thine immortal wine – All the letters I can write Are not fair as this— Syllables of Velvet— Sentences of Plush, Depths of Ruby, undrained, Hid, Lip, for Thee— Play it were a Humming Bird— And just sipped—me—

And we're back. And we enter Hell. The Dickinsons are creepy. Sue does her best Marlene Dietrich. Henry kills a man. And Emily, in the midst of this, loses everything and finds real hope at the bottom of the darkest depths.  My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun - In Corners - till a Day The Owner passed - identified - And carried Me away - And now We roam in Sovreign Woods - And now We hunt the Doe - And every time I speak for Him The Mountains straight reply - And do I smile, such cordial light Opon the Valley glow - It is as a Vesuvian face Had let it’s pleasure through - And when at Night - Our good Day done - I guard My Master’s Head - ’Tis better than the Eider Duck’s Deep Pillow - to have shared - To foe of His - I’m deadly foe - None stir the second time - On whom I lay a Yellow Eye - Or an emphatic Thumb - Though I than He - may longer live He longer must - than I - For I have but the power to kill, Without - the power to die -

In a feat of editing, Kyle turned over two and a half hours of meandering meditations on Sylvia Plath, determinism, performative allyship, and whether or not true revolution can happen by playing by the rules of the system (spoiler alert: Nope.) into this episode. Obviously, we had a lot to say about Dickinson's "The Future never spoke," written by Ziwe and Alena Smith and directed by Heather Jack. Mainly: it rules. Omitted topics include: Scheherazade and the Hunger Games, even more drug discussion, a brief history of Japanese female-female queerness, and yes- more of the absolute delirium that ends the episode. We also want to give a shout-out to the other two podcasts discussing the show: "The Slave is Gone" and "Dickinson Forevermore." Give them a listen if you haven't already!  You can contact us at edictsonedicks@gmail.com. One of us (theoretically Ben) will get to you! We promise! The Future—never spoke— Nor will He—like the Dumb— Reveal by sign—a syllable Of His Profound To Come— But when the News be ripe— Presents it—in the Act— Forestalling Preparation— Escape—or Substitute— Indifference to Him— The Dower—as the Doom— His Office—but to execute Fate’s—Telegram—to Him—

Hoo boy, that episode title is a STRETCH.  This time around, we head to a lunatic asylum with the Dickinsons and discuss Episode 6 of Season 3 of Dickinson, "A Little Madness in the Spring," written by the kick-ass Ayo Edebiri and directed by one of our favorites, Silas Howard. We discuss Victorian Era approaches to mental health care (surprisingly better than you'd think for a bit there... and then things disintegrate quickly!), arbitrary systems of control (they're EVERYWHERE), and the benevolence or self-preservation of Susan Gilbert Dickinson (is it always 'or'? is it never 'and'?).  I don't know about you, but we're ready for winter to end so that we can indulge in a little bit of spring-based madness of our own. A little Madness in the Spring Is wholesome even for the King, But God be with the Clown –  Who ponders this tremendous scene –  This whole Experiment of Green –  As if it were his own!