Dickinson

In the years of the Civil War,

Emily Dickinson reached her greatest heights as a poet.

She wrote furiously in those years,

at a pace and intensity unmatched before or after...

Nearly a poem a day.

Her work of this period has been called

"a great and classic descent into a personal inferno."

Yet, due to her life of seclusion,

Dickinson has not traditionally been considered a "war poet."

Most people do not think of Emily Dickinson

as a voice with the power to speak for a nation.

Over here!

The kingdom's on fire The blood of a young messiah

I see sinners in a church I see sinners in a church.

Sometimes I might be introvert.

There's a war inside I hear battle cries.

Mothers burying sons Young boys playing with guns.

The devil's a liar Fulfill your wildest desires.

Alone, but not lonely.

Your truth unveils with time.

As you embark on a journey Of what it takes to be a woman.

Yes, fondly do we hope, and fervently do we pray,

that this scourge of war may pass speedily away.

Yet the Almighty has his own purposes,

and the judgments of the Lord are always true and righteous.

So let us strive on.

Let us bind up this nation's wounds.

And let us mourn this brave young man who gave his life for this country.

Excuse me.

Brave young man?

Yes. That's what I said.

But this isn't a soldier. This is my sister.

I beg your pardon, madam?

We're here for the funeral of my beloved sister,

Lavinia Norcross Norcross.

She married our cousin.

There must be some mistake.

No, the mistake is yours, Reverend.

Can we please carry on with the service and bury our dead in a respectful manner?

- I am terribly sorry. - Yes.

I have no more time for the funeral of some old woman.

There are 15 noble Union men to bury today,

valiant warriors who have sacrificed all

- for the cause of the Constitution. - Ah, ye...

And I am running way behind schedule.

"Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen."

Moving on.

That was the shortest funeral I've ever been to.

It was awful. Just awful.

And we came all the way to Boston.

- I'm going to write a letter. - My poor, beloved sister Lavinia.

Aunt Vinnie. I was named after you.

Hey, everyone. Look.

Bird is talking to us.

Oh, Emily, please. Not now.

Let's go fetch the carriage. We have a long ride home.

We don't want to get stuck behind a parade.

Another parade?

Yes. All those boys going off to join the fighting.

Civil War ruins everything.

Go on.

Don't stop.

Emily.

Come fetch the carriage!

Oh, God, we have so much to catch up on.

Like this bird I just saw.

This little bird just landed on Aunt Lavinia's coffin.

It was like… a symbol or a metaphor.

It was like a message from Aunt Lavinia herself, telling me to keep writing,

to keep shining a light in the darkness and to never give up hope.

Death, are...

- Are you okay? - No.

I feel like shit.

Oh, no. What's wrong?

It's this damn war.

It's just dragging on and on, and it's taken all the fun out of my work.

I used to have so much fun coming up with creative ways to kill people.

This person will fall off a bridge.

This fool will drink a little poison.

These two kill each other out of love.

But now it's just the same thing over and over again.

Bullet, gangrene.

It's so repetitive.

I think I'm depressed.

Wow.

So even Death has bad days.

Emily…

- I need some advice. - Advice?

Yeah, that's what I'm here for. I need your help.

Okay, yes. Ask me... Ask me anything.

- So you write poems. - Yep. That's right.

Brilliant ones.

- Unique ones. - Thank you.

Very inspired.

Even though you live a pretty uneventful life.

Uneventful? I...

I'm not sure that's the case.

I mean, come on now. Your life's pretty boring.

You barely leave your little town.

You still live in your dad's crib.

Every day is pretty much the same, but you still stay inspired.

Where do you get that fire from?

Well…

While I'm here,

I want to do something that matters.

And I mean something that really matters.

It's bigger than fame or money.

It's about actually changing people's lives.

It's about helping them heal.

Helping them survive.

I want to be that little bird.

That source of light in the darkness.

I want to give people hope.

Hope.

I believe poetry can be powerful.

Even more powerful than you.

I mean it.

Death can tear people apart. Poetry can put them back together again.

So what you're saying is…

I inspire you.

Always.

Home again, home again. Thank God we're home again.

It was a lovely funeral.

It was not. Stop gaslighting me.

It was a fiasco. Your mother's right.

I've been more ceremonious while swatting a fly.

What the minister said doesn't matter.

I could feel Aunt Lavinia's spirit there. I could.

I could... I could feel it.

Mom, you know she always told us to find the light.

Right? And to move towards joy and hope.

Hope.

I need a pencil.

If Aunt Lavinia's spirit was there, why didn't she contact me?

Emily, don't upset your mother.

I'm not. I'm just trying to help. Mom…

Where the hell was Austin?

- Can't make it to the funeral of his aunt? - Hope is…

- Hope is a Bird… No, that's… - It's disrespectful.

It's embarrassing. I could hear those Boston gossips whispering to each other.

He's let us down again.

- Leave him alone, Edward. - No.

I won't lower my expectations for my son.

- Someone's here. - I'll get it.

His behavior is getting worse and worse. He's drinking all the time.

- I can't bear it. - It is what it is.

No. I will not stand by and watch this boy disintegrate.

- Especially when, as we all know… - Sue.

…his wife is about to have a baby.

Waddled over here like a bloody walrus.

You're a cute walrus.

Come in.

- Emily, who's here? - It's Sue.

Oh, nice of her to show up.

How was the funeral?

Horrendous, Sue. And so kind of you to make it.

I was ready to go this morning. Your carriage never came to get me.

We assumed that you'd be taking your own carriage with Austin.

Well, Austin arrived home late last night.

And this morning, he was indisposed.

Unacceptable.

I'm... I'm very sorry to have missed it.

Oh, thank you, Sue.

I didn't know Aunt Lavinia that well, but I... I always admired her.

Everyone did. She was iconic.

How are you feeling, Sue?

You look as though you're ready to pop.

Yeah, I'm definitely at the point where this isn't fun anymore.

Can I get you something? Water? Any...

I'd actually love to lie down.

I know it's a short walk between our two houses,

but I feel like I climbed a mountain.

I'm sure. Well, let's get you upstairs so you can rest.

- Yeah. - No, that's rude.

You both need to stay down here and say hello to our guests.

Well, I really...

She'll just rest for a little bit, and we'll be ready to entertain.

She's missed the funeral. The least she can do is be here for the reception.

I'd say the same of Austin, but where the hell is he?

Edward, it is a woman's job

to make sure everybody else is happy at all times no matter the cost.

I'm sorry, but that simply doesn't apply to men.

Sue has every right to feel tired.

- Just look at her. - I don't care if she's the size of Kansas.

Thanks.

Oh, come on. Everybody loves Kansas.

It just became a state.

I'll take you upstairs. We'll rest a li... Mom, I'll be right back.

Let's just get you…

How was the funeral?

Oh, God.

I can't stay long, okay?

My mom really needs me.

Well, I need you too.

It's hard to believe we used to fit into this tiny bed.

- Well, now there are three of us. - Almost.

Sue, Sue…

You know I really want to make out with you right now?