To Dives

To Dives - meaning Summary

Poverty and Riches Mirrored

The speaker addresses "Dives," refusing to condemn the rich. He admits his own life is "embittered" by poverty while the other is ruined by "useless riches." The poem argues that both states cause suffering and that moral judgment between them is not straightforward. Its compact confession foregrounds empathy and shared corrosion, prompting readers to question simple oppositions of virtue and vice tied to wealth.