It seems to me that the poem is implicitly saying, hey, quit bugging me about the dishes, I am writing something for the ages here. Now perhaps in the context of the cult of domesticity and the restricted options of women, etc. etc., we ought to cheer the sentiments and march to the barricades. On the other hand…

Imagine that the speaker was male, rather than female, and he informed his wife, sister, mother, etc. that he wasn’t doing the dishes because he was engaged in higher things.

If I did that, my wife would kick my butt.

& I thought, O dear dear mother
My mother so gentle & sweet
If only you’d written some poems of your own
That would’ve been really neat
But the menfolk kept you busy
With cries for more red meat

So now it’s just me & Shakespeare
All alone in a room of one’s own
Damning those damnable dishes
& gnawing the poetry bone
Etc.

She is not the freak, it is her mind and feelings that play her so. And, judging from the conclusion, she perhaps considers it only to be freakish in the eyes of her sisters and mothers.

My thoughts echo Nate’s. This poem could be, with subtle alteration, applied to the men of the era just as well. This makes the poem more interesting because it is more universally applicable. But when applied to men, its hubris shines through more clearly.

I would pay good money for this. It would be fun to see people’s reactions.

Nevertheless, I still like Lula’s “Apology” because I find some ambiguity in her tone. Frank suggested that a more appropriate title for this poem would be “Apologia,” or defense. Indeed, Lula may simply be defending her decision to write instead of washing the dishes. However, there may also be a level of real regret for leaving her other responsibilities undone. After all she calls herself a freak and faults the other children (presumably her sisters) for nothing but their love of the flowers and sunshine outside–hardly a harsh indictment. I think it is also possible that Lula is making fun of herself.

Nate—you’re right that putting this poem in the voice of a man drastically changes the tone. I think, however, that doing so is somewhat unfair. Lula is commenting on the expectations and strictures placed on her as a (19th century) woman. Notice that she makes no apology to her father or brothers for not doing the dishes.