One of the ones that Midas touched

Read 'One of the ones that Midas touched' by 'Emily Dickinson' and provide your summary and literary analysis in the comments section below.

One of the ones that Midas touched by Emily Dickinson

 One of the ones that Midas touched
Who failed to touch us all
Was that confiding Prodigal
The reeling Oriole --

So drunk he disavows it
With badinage divine --
So dazzling we mistake him
For an alighting Mine --

A Pleader -- a Dissembler --
An Epicure -- a Thief --
Betimes an Oratorio --
An Ecstasy in chief --

The Jesuit of Orchards
He cheats as he enchants
Of an entire Attar
For his decamping wants --

The splendor of a Burmah
The Meteor of Birds,
Departing like a Pageant
Of Ballads and of Bards --

I never thought that Jason sought
For any Golden Fleece
But then I am a rural man
With thoughts that make for Peace --

But if there were a Jason,
Tradition bear with me
Behold his lost Aggrandizement
Upon the Apple Tree --

Form: Lyric Comments

Comments About This Poem

Share your interpretation, favorite passage, or thoughts about this famous poem. Please provide an in-depth and meaningful comment.

  • What do you think the poet was trying to say?
  • Which line had the biggest impact on you?
  • How does this poem relate to modern life?
  • What literary devices did you notice?
No comments have been posted yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.
Get a Premium Membership
Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace