home. He always did, and I never will. I don’t feel guilty. When we married I had to take his
name. There were times when I felt I had to take hisbody inside mine to feel any sort of
closeness. It’s only fitting that I take her.
Did you feel any of this? Did you have to hide itbecause of the social mores of the time
the song was written? When I was little, the songwas just a country ballad to listen to while
gardening with my mother - and I still listen to itwhile gardening even today. But I hear more
than I did then. I understand now why you wrote aboutJolene in such detail - her body, her
smile, her voice, her hair. I think you understandwhat happened to me. I think you understand
perfectly. I won’t tell anybody. I just want you toknow that I think we have the same story, and
that the desperation you felt while writing that isn’tthe same desperation the song expresses, and
that I’ve pulled it out and brought it to the lightto sing bright and loud.
I hear you underneath the lyrics, Dolly, “Jolene,Jolene, Jolene, I’m begging of you
please don’t take my man”, what you are really sayingis “take me instead.”
Your #1 fan always and forever,
Emma Brooks.