E-Text

Emily Dickinson's Collected Poems

Part One: Life 61. Each life converges to some centre

THE GOAL.


Each life converges to some centre

Expressed or still;

Exists in every human nature

A goal,


Admitted scarcely to itself, it may be,

Too fair

For credibility's temerity

To dare.


Adored with caution, as a brittle heaven,

To reach

Were hopeless as the rainbow's raiment

To touch,


Yet persevered toward, surer for the distance;

How high

Unto the saints' slow diligence

The sky!


Ungained, it may be, by a life's low venture,

But then,

Eternity enables the endeavoring

Again.

Study Guide for Emily Dickinson’s Collected Poems

Emily Dickinson's Collected Poems study guide contains a biography of Emily Dickinson, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

Read the Study Guide for Emily Dickinson’s Collected Poems…

Essays for Emily Dickinson’s Collected Poems

Emily Dickinson's Collected Poems essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Emily Dickinson's poems.

View our essays for Emily Dickinson’s Collected Poems…

Wikipedia Entries for Emily Dickinson’s Collected Poems

View Wikipedia Entries for Emily Dickinson’s Collected Poems…