E-Text

Emily Dickinson's Collected Poems

Part Three: Nature 35. The rat is the concisest tenant

THE RAT.


The rat is the concisest tenant.

He pays no rent, --

Repudiates the obligation,

On schemes intent.


Balking our wit

To sound or circumvent,

Hate cannot harm

A foe so reticent.


Neither decree

Prohibits him,

Lawful as

Equilibrium.