Happy Birthday to Emily Dickinson from Chapters from Coast to Coast

Although the official date of Emily Dickinson’s 184th birthday is December 10, 2014, chapters on both coasts are celebrating on various dates. Members and their friends are invited to attend one of these celebrations – or make their own and let us know about it. Eleanor Heginbotham, Chair, Chapters Committee.

• Montgomery, TX Two events mark Dickinson’s Birthday: on Thursday, December 4 at 3 p.m. at Lone Star College Mongomery, Room B-102 Cristanne Miller, will discuss the new edition of Dickinson’s poems on which she is working; on that day at 5:30 some 20 poets, including award winners, will read favorite Dickinson poems as well as their own works.
  Contact David Parsons, 2011 Texas State Poet Laureate at dmparsons@consolidated.net.
• Amherst, MA In keeping with regular monthly gatherings, on December 5, Discussion of Selected poems at the Jones Library, 43 Amity Street noon-1:30
  Contact Lois Kackley lobobolink@mac.com.
• Petaluma, CA The Petaluma Emily Dickinson Salon meeting on Sunday, December 7 from 3-5 will meet at the PEP Housing Community Center at 167 Edith Street in Petaluma “to contemplate the gifts of friendship” through Dickinson’s words.
  Contact Holly Springfield at springfield4967@comcast.net.
• Washington, DC At a Marathon Reading, Monday, December 8 all day (9-5), “celebrity” readers and the public will read the poems sequentially at The Library of Congress, Jefferson Building, Room 119. The day is free; an evening event at the Folger Library nearby, although part of the day, requires a ticket. Some rare materials will be on hand for viewing. Contact Nelly Lambert at nellylewislambert@gmail.com or Eleanor Heginbotham at heginbotham@csp.edu.
• Claremont, CA Providentially, the regular monthly meeting of the Emily Dickinson Conversation falls on Dickinson’s birthday, December 10 at Porter Hall, Pilgrim Place (west end of Sixth Street) at 7 p.m. The group will wrestle with Dickinson’s exploration of power, “My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun –.”
  Contact David Jamieson at db.jamie@verizon.net.
• San Antonio, TX The EDIS San Antonio will meet on Saturday, December 13 at 1:00 p.m. at Nancy Pridgen's house in Universal City, TX. It will begin a series of meetings discussing poems containing names: people, including friends, relatives, and well-known figures of literature, science, and philosophy. This month’s focus is on poems naming Susan and Katie and will celebrate the birthdays of Emily (December 10, 1830) and her sister-in-law Susan (December 19, 1830).
  Contact Nancy List Pridgen at possibility@satx.rr.com
• Pacific Grove, CA The Pacific Grove Library Presents A Tribute to Emily Dickinson and Homage to Outgoing Poet in Residence, Dr. Barbara Mossberg. The celebration begins with programs on December 4 and 5. Dr. Mossberg’s talk, “Nobody knows this little rose: The Secret life of Emily Dickinson. . .” is on Monday, December 15 at 7:30. $10 donation. The event includes a month-long juried art show on “The Language of Flowers.”
  Contact bmossberg@csumb.edu.
  Chapters Committee: Chair, Eleanor Heginbotham (heginbotham@csp.edu); Nancy Pridgen (possibility@satx.rr.com); Lois Kackley (lobolink@mac.com).