904
Had I not This, or This, I said,
Appealing to Myself,
In moment of prosperity—
Inadequate—were Life—
"Thou hast not Me, nor Me"—it said,
In Moment of Reverse—
"And yet Thou art industrious—
No need—hadst Thou—of us"?
My need—was all I had—I said—
The need did not reduce—
Because the food—exterminate—
The hunger—does not cease—
But diligence—is sharper—
Proportioned to the Chance—
To feed upon the Retrograde—
Enfeebles—the Advance—
More verses by Emily Dickinson
- Pain&Mdash;Expands The Time
- The Judge Is Like The Owl
- The Service Without Hope
- If Anybody's Friend Be Dead
- The Beggar Lad&Mdash;Dies Early