YOUR riches taught me poverty. | |
Myself a millionnaire | |
In little wealths,as girls could boast, | |
Till broad as Buenos Ayre, | |
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You drifted your dominions | 5 |
A different Peru; | |
And I esteemed all poverty, | |
For lifes estate with you. | |
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Of mines I little know, myself, | |
But just the names of gems, | 10 |
The colors of the commonest; | |
And scarce of diadems | |
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So much that, did I meet the queen, | |
Her glory I should know: | |
But this must be a different wealth, | 15 |
To miss it beggars so. | |
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I m sure t is India all day | |
To those who look on you | |
Without a stint, without a blame, | |
Might I but be the Jew! | 20 |
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I m sure it is Golconda, | |
Beyond my power to deem, | |
To have a smile for mine each day, | |
How better than a gem! | |
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At least, it solaces to know | 25 |
That there exists a gold, | |
Although I prove it just in time | |
Its distance to behold! | |
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Its far, far treasure to surmise, | |
And estimate the pearl | 30 |
That slipped my simple fingers through | |
While just a girl at school! | |