Lyric Poem · Life

Success is counted sweetest

by Emily Dickinson · 1864

By those who ne'er succeed.

To comprehend a nectar

Requires sorest need.

Not one of all the purple Host

Who took the Flag today

Can tell the definition

So clear of Victory

As he defeated — dying —

On whose forbidden ear

The distant strains of triumph

Burst agonized and clear!

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“Success is counted sweetest” by Emily Dickinson — quilloak.com/poems/success-is-counted-sweetest

Quick facts

Poem: Success is counted sweetest
Poet: Emily Dickinson
Published: 1864
Length: 12 lines
Form: Lyric Poem, Short Poems
Themes: Life, Strength, Short

Craft notes

How this poem works

Measured from the text on this page, not copied from a summary. Counts are approximate: syllables and rhymes come from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary, which models General American English, so dialect, older pronunciation, and performance can all change what you hear.

Shape: 12 lines · 3 quatrains
Line length: Lines run 6-7 syllables (median 7). No single length dominates, which is normal once elision and contraction are in play.

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Text, source & rights

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Full-text display is based on the committed source record and a United States term-expiry review.

Author record: Emily Dickinson1830–1886
Source record: PoetryDBSuccess is counted sweetest by emily-dickinson, PoetryDB transcription
Display decision: Full text · United States · reviewed 2026-07-18
Publication record: 1864
Text fingerprint: SHA-256 235ade152bc6a319…
Editorial handling: Whitespace and stanza breaks normalized for web display; no material wording change recorded.

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Lyric Poem Short Poems Life Strength Short

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