My Father Dickinson: On Poetic Influence

“My Father Dickinson” traces contemporary poet Annie Finch’s relationship with her predecessor as it moved from youthful resistance, through understanding of violated boundaries brought on by an experience of incest, to poetic respect and acceptance. “My Father Dickinson” discusses how Dickinson functioned as a bridge to the male poetic tradition while offering a uniquely female model of influence and considers firsthand the questions raised by the Oedipal model of influence when applied to female poets. The essay is a companion piece to Finch’s earlier “My Mother Dickinson,” which discussed Dickinson as a bridge to the female poetic tradition.