Emily Dickinson (1830–86). Complete Poems. 1924. |
Part Three: Love
XXI
|
| YOUR riches taught me poverty. | |
| Myself a millionnaire | |
| In little wealths,—as girls could boast,— | |
| Till broad as Buenos Ayre, | |
| |
| You drifted your dominions | 5 |
| A different Peru; | |
| And I esteemed all poverty, | |
| For life’s estate with you. | |
| |
| Of mines I little know, myself, | |
| But just the names of gems,— | 10 |
| The colors of the commonest; | |
| And scarce of diadems | |
| |
| 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. | |
| |
| 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 |
| |
| I ’m sure it is Golconda, | |
| Beyond my power to deem,— | |
| To have a smile for mine each day, | |
| How better than a gem! | |
| |
| At least, it solaces to know | 25 |
| That there exists a gold, | |
| Although I prove it just in time | |
| Its distance to behold! | |
| |
| It’s far, far treasure to surmise, | |
| And estimate the pearl | 30 |
| That slipped my simple fingers through | |
| While just a girl at school! | |
|
|
