“This is my letter to the world
That never wrote to me”
― Emily Dickinson
Though I read very few poets at a young age, I found Dickinson to be a fascination. I didn’t understand her, per se, but I admired her direct statements. “This is my letter to the world” is a poem with such a bold title and first line that the second line reads as a gut punch. I interpreted this poem to be about her unconditional love for world which didn’t have to respond. ED was going to tell everything about herself, about her love and ambivalence for the world and maybe, by extension, her readers. Her letter could be read by anyone—even me—as though a nosy postal carrier had steamed open an envelope. It appealed, I’m sure to my angst, but also gave me courage to write as though no one would ever read my words.