Publication of First Known Work: Valentine Letter in The Indicator
Poet involved
What happened
In February 1850, Emily Dickinson's humorous valentine letter, beginning 'Sir, I desire an interview,' was published anonymously in The Indicator, the Amherst College student literary magazine, in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was likely sent to editor George Gould.
Literary impact
This early publication, though a lighthearted piece of prose rather than poetry, marked Dickinson's first appearance in print and demonstrated her wit and linguistic playfulness. The experience of seeing her work in print without her direct consent would foreshadow the pattern of unauthorized publication that characterized her relationship with the literary marketplace throughout her life.
Source: Wikipedia
