It Was Given to Me by the Gods
poem 454
It Was Given to Me by the Gods - meaning Summary
Childhood Gift of Worth
Dickinson presents a childhood memory of receiving a precious, unnamed gift from the gods and guarding it with anxious reverence. The speaker treats this gift as the source of her value, refusing ordinary comforts for fear of losing it. Encounters with street comments about being "Rich" lead her to equate that inner possession with gold and social status, giving her confidence. The poem explores how an early sense of worth becomes entwined with external labels and material metaphors, showing both vulnerability and a newly asserted identity.
Read Complete AnalysesIt was given to me by the Gods When I was a little Girl They given us Presents most you know When we are new and small. I kept it in my Hand I never put it down I did not dare to eat or sleep For fear it would be gone I heard such words as Rich When hurrying to school From lips at Corners of the Streets And wrestled with a smile. Rich! ‘Twas Myself was rich To take the name of Gold And Gold to own in solid Bars The Difference made me bold
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