DISCLAIMER: This recap of the Dickinson episode “This is my letter to the World” has spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
Welcome, poetic lovers! Dickinson is back with “This is my letter to the World,” and it’s not my favorite outing, but it’s certainly a vital chess piece in the grand scheme of things for Emily and Henry. I’ve always loved Henry, and I’m glad we’re getting more of him in Season Three.
I did find the Edward/Mrs. Dickinson/Vinnie flea storyline to be a bit bland and unnecessary, but they always make for good comedic relief.
Of course, “This is my letter to the World” ushers in Emily’s correspondence with Thomas Wentworth Higginson, who later becomes instrumental in editing Emily’s poetry collections after her passing. I’m excited to see if this season further explores their friendship.
Ready to delve into “This is my letter to the World”? Let’s get to it.
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We open with Emily (Hailee Steinfeld), handing off her letter for Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson. We see the letter arrive at its destination, and it lands on Higginson’s (Gabriel Ebert) desk. Henry (Chinaza Uche) walks into his office, and he’s there to interview for a job position.

Higginson’s personality is reminiscent of white people who inadvertently (and purposely) center themselves in conversations about systemic racism. You know the ones. However, he’s well-intentioned and hopes to prove to President Lincoln that a Black regiment can fight on the same battlefield as white regiments.
So, after praising Henry for his achievement with The Constellation, Higginson asks him to teach the Black regiment how to read and write. Higginson believes educating them will legitimize their mission in Lincoln’s eyes, but this reeks of more racism to me.
Next, we meet the regiment Henry will be teaching. There’s Solomon (Nore Davis), Erasmus (Myles Evans), Everett (Tristan Griffin), The Wall (Wavyy Jonez) and Michael River Jordan (Curtis Morlaye). None of them are impressed with Henry and poke fun at him for being from Massachusetts.
When Henry mentions he’s there to teach them to read and write, the regiment raises concerns about their uniforms and weaponry. They’re not allowed to handle guns until they can “prove themselves,” which also smacks of racism. Additionally, they don’t have proper uniforms and receive significantly less pay than their white counterparts.
Meanwhile, Edward (Toby Huss) gets a letter from his brother in the South. Mrs. Dickinson (Jane Krakowski) notes how the war accentuates the country’s thirst for violence.
Emily wanders off to read Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman, and we see her venture to a war hospital in New York. She meets Whitman (Billy Eichner) there and is taken aback by his boisterous energy. The Dickinson writers wanted Eichner to emulate an over-the-top theater actor — at least that’s what I believe. While it might be a bit much, the execution lands, considering the “controversy” surrounding the real Whitman’s poetry and sexuality.
Emily reveals she wants to experience life in the hopes it’ll fuel her poetry. Next, we see Betty (Amanda Warren) gardening with her daughter Helen (Levi Arielle Ricks). She finds herself disappointed when, once again, the mail delivery yields nothing from Henry.
Mrs. Dickinson and Edward are alarmed when they keep inexplicably scratching themselves. Did bedbugs exist in the 1860s?

Later, Emily encounters Louisa May Alcott (Zosia Mamet) at the same hospital. The author tells Emily she’s there for literary inspiration, and now she knows what smells are associated with death!
Emily helps a dying soldier “reunite” with his sister, and Whitman plants a juicy smooch on his lips. Whitman encourages Emily to immerse herself in everything life has to offer. As a poet, she must feel it all and consider herself an expert in every profession.
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Then, Whitman takes Emily to a local bar that accepts everyone from all walks of life — it looks like a very LGBTQIA+-friendly establishment.
Austin (Adrian Blake Enscoe) quietly walks in on his sleeping son and Sue (Ella Hunt) folding laundry. Sue scolds him for being too loud and potentially waking the baby. Austin wishes she’d let him be a father, but Sue notes that, in her experience, “good fathers” get out of the way. Austin begins softly singing to his child, and Sue wonders aloud if he’s intoxicated.
Meanwhile, Maggie (Darlene Hunt) scratches Edward and Mrs. Dickinson’s backs. She believes elves are at play, much to the terror of both Dickinsons. Vinnie (Anna Baryshnikov) marches inside, covered head to toe in mud. She emphatically claims she buried herself alive, so she could experience what those brave soldiers experienced. I love the parallels between Emily and Vinnie’s journeys in this episode.
Anyway, Vinnie now sleeps in the barn with the horses, meaning she brought fleas into the Dickinson abode. Hence all the scratching.

Next, Whitman tells Emily that everything is about sex. So, he asks her what sets her soul ablaze. Who lights her fire? Emily goes from meekly muttering Sue’s name to proudly shouting “Sue!” from the rooftops — she loves Sue! Seeing the unadulterated relief on Emily’s face when she discovers she can safely share her love for Sue makes me happy.
One woman asks Emily to dance, and Whitman eventually joins everyone on the dance floor. We hear Emily recite her “This is my letter to the World” poem as we see shots of Higginson reading her letter, Henry attempting to write one to Betty and Helen, and Betty tucking Helen into bed.
And through it all, Emily and Walt Whitman continue to dance with abandon.
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Overall, this episode brims with Dickinson‘s signature tongue-in-cheek humor, intelligence and deep exploration of what it means to be human. It might be quieter and less packed with imaginative sequences compared to its predecessors, but “This is my letter to the World” solidifies Emily’s love for Sue and helps her improve as a poet. Plus, we get Whitman and Alcott, two barrier-breaking writers, bickering like an old married couple in a war hospital.
Another highlight for me was meeting the Black regiment and seeing them interact with Henry. I hope we get to learn more about them and dig deep into their dynamic with Henry.
Will we ever see elves on this show? It’s undoubtedly a more interesting explanation for all the itching than fleas.
It’s Dickinson — anything can happen.
New episodes of Dickinson are available to stream Fridays on Apple TV Plus.
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