Emily Dickinson’s “We lose – because we win”
Emily Dickinson’s “We lose – because we win,” exemplifies a short, quirky observation, which makes a statement about human behavior that has become compulsive.
Introduction and Text of “We lose – because we win”
Emily Dickinson’s “We lose – because we win” features characteristics of a versanelle, a short, usually 20 lines or fewer, dramatic narration that comments on human nature or behavior and may employ any of the usual poetic devices. I coined this term to designate certain heretofore unclassifiable poems of Robert Frost, Stephen Crane, M. M. Sedam, and others.
The versanelle remains a natural, philosophical outlet for the poet who entertains a philosophical bent, as most poets do. From Walt Whitman to T. S. Eliot, many American poets from time to time are motivated to fashion a short observations regarding humankind into a poetic drama.
We lose – because we win
We lose – because we win –
Gamblers – recollecting which
Toss their dice again!
Commentary on “We lose – because we win”
Each line of a versanelle exudes thoughts whose meanings in the hand of a less masterful craftsman might take many lines to express.
First Line: A Puzzling Paradox
We lose – because we win –
The speaker in Dickinson’s three-line versanelle has observed that humankind can become addicted to certain acts. Thus she chooses the act of winning to state her perceived notion.
She states the introduction to her conclusion in a paradox. At first, the statement seems non-sensical because it seems to contradict itself. One is tempted to query, how can we lose if she has won? Are the two not mutually exclusive. At first blush, it seems that the speaker has placed the acts of losing and winning in the same time frame. And if that were the case, the statement would have been ludicrous.
For example, if you placed your bet and won $1,000, no one can dispute that you gambled and won. In order to remain a winner, however, you must walk away with your winnings.
Thus the paradox is elucidated by the remaining two lines, which broaden the time frame. The speaker is not only referring to the short period of time after winning, but she is also encompassing the many years, perhaps, that may follow that unfortunate win that leads to loss.
Second Line: Gamblers Remember
Gamblers – recollecting which
Thus”Gamblers” do not take their money and walk away. They become intoxicated by the win, and the memory of winning becomes implanted in their brains. The pleasure of winning that money has urged the “gambler” to make further choices that will again bring that pleasure.
Third Line: Lose After Winning
Toss their dice again!
In the attempt to regain the pleasurable feeling of having won that thousand dollars, the “gambler” must gamble again. And even if he wins, a second time, he will only strengthen the desire to keep winning.
But as those hooked on the notion of winning continue to “toss their dice,” they will invariably begin to lose. And it becomes abundantly clear that they will lose many more thousands than they have ever won. Just ask members of Gamblers Anonymous!
And not only will the continuation of gambling lead to financial ruin, the seriously addicted gambler may lose his job, family, and friends, along with his self-respect and possibly his life.
A Broader Application
While the Dickinson versanelle can be understood to refer to the literal “gambler,” there is no doubt that her speaker wishes to offer a far more wide-ranging application of this adage. Thus the observation can include any human activity that leads to habitual repetition of an act that leads to negative instead of positive outcomes.
Such activities might include those that lead to addiction to alcohol, those that lead to unhealthy eating, those that lead to unwholesome engagement in sex, and also those that lead to psychological malfunction.
The human mind and heart are capable of turning a heaven into a hell merely with thoughts that ultimately lead to depravity. Experiencing a delight in any unhealthy, unwholesome act must be rooted out before it can become habitual.
The mood junky can become like a gambler who continues to roll the dice, expecting to experience that happy win again, yet finds himself unable to climb out of his nasty mood because he has come to rely on it, perhaps using it as an excuse for failures that are simply the result of lack of effort.
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