"My Reward For Being"My Reward for Being, was This.

My premium — My Bliss –
An Admiralty, less –
A Sceptre — penniless –
And Realms — just Dross –

When Thrones accost my Hands –
With “Me, Miss, Me” –
I’ll unroll Thee –
Dominions dowerless — beside this Grace –
Election — Vote –
The Ballots of Eternity, will show just that.

Analysis/ Comment

In this poem, Emily Dickinson describes what she feels about her existence in this world using several comparisons. The poet mentions in particular, the noble life and objects in order to let readers understand better how miserable she feels being someone in this world. Indeed, in the first stanza, she states the fact that although existing in this world should be a happy feeling; it doesn’t seem to her because there are a lot of terrible things surrounding her life. An example would be the penniless ‘sceptre’ (allusion to monarchy) ; as well as the contrast between dross and realm emphasizes more her loss of confidence and power over herself and other people).
In the 2^nd stanza, Dickinson claims how she refuses the “good life”not even if she had the opportunity in her hands. Even if she had the“good” life, it would be superficial and not as good, because she prefers to have a normal life.

The metaphor utilized in this poem juxtaposes the poet’s life with the ones of the noble family. In this juxtaposition she clearly displays the dissatisfactions of her life and she is going to change her life not because of this. This simply explains a lot of how each of us deals with our daily lives. In fact, a lot of times, we envy people that have an easy, rich existence in this world, but obtaining everything doesn’t make a happy life.