by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886)
Your Riches — taught me — Poverty
Language: English
Your Riches — taught me — Poverty. Myself — a Millionaire In little Wealths, as Girls could boast Till broad as Buenos Ayre — You drifted your Dominions — 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 — 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 — To miss it — beggars so — I'm sure 'tis India — all Day — To those who look on You — Without a stint — without a blame, Might I — but be the Jew — 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 That there exists — a Gold — Altho' I prove it, just in time Its distance — to behold — Its far — far Treasure to surmise — And estimate the Pearl — That slipped my simple fingers through — While just a Girl at School.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886), no title [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Jitka Koželuhová (b. 1966), "Poverty", 1991-92, copyright © 1997 [soprano and piano], from Six Songs on Poems of Emily Dickinson, no. 6. [ sung text not verified ]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2018-03-04
Line count: 32
Word count: 208