The heart asks pleasure first,
And then, excuse from pain;
And then, those little anodynes
That deaden suffering;
And then, to go to sleep;
And then, if it should be
The will of its Inquisitor,
The liberty to die.
"The Heart Asks Pleasure First,"
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson
Suggested Poems
Explore a curated selection of verses that share themes, styles, and emotional resonance with the poem you've just read.