Read "Your Riches Taught me Poverty" by Emily Dickinson online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Your riches taught me poverty.
Myself a millionnaire / 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 't is 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, / Although I prove it just in time / Its distance to behold!
It 's far, far treasure to surmise, / And estimate the pearl / That slipped my simple fingers through / While just a girl at school!