I measure every Grief I meet <br />With narrow, probing, Eyes-- <br />I wonder if It weighs like Mine-- <br />Or has an Easier size. <br /> <br />I wonder if They bore it long-- <br />Or did it just begin-- <br />I could not tell the Date of Mine-- <br />It feels so old a pain-- <br /> <br />I wonder if it hurts to live-- <br />And if They have to try-- <br />And whether--could They choose between-- <br />It would not be--to die-- <br /> <br />I note that Some--gone patient long-- <br />At length, renew their smile-- <br />An imitation of a Light <br />That has so little Oil-- <br /> <br />I wonder if when Years have piled-- <br />Some Thousands--on the Harm-- <br />That hurt them early--such a lapse <br />Could give them any Balm-- <br /> <br />Or would they go on aching still <br />Through Centuries of Nerve-- <br />Enlightened to a larger Pain-- <br />In Contrast with the Love-- <br /> <br />The Grieved--are many--I am told-- <br />There is the various Cause-- <br />Death--is but one--and comes but once-- <br />And only nails the eyes-- <br /> <br />There's Grief of Want--and grief of Cold-- <br />A sort they call "Despair"-- <br />There's Banishment from native Eyes-- <br />In Sight of Native Air-- <br /> <br />And though I may not guess the kind-- <br />Correctly--yet to me <br />A piercing Comfort it affords <br />In passing Calvary-- <br /> <br />To note the fashions--of the Cross-- <br />And how they're mostly worn-- <br />Still fascinated to presume <br />That Some--are like My Own--<br /><br />Emily Dickinson<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-measure-every-grief-i-meet-561/
