Had I not This, or This, I said,

Had I not This, or This, I said,
Appealing to Myself,
In moment of prosperity —
Inadequate — were Life —

"Thou has not Me, nor Me" — it said,
In moment of Reverse —
"And yet Thou are industrious —
No need — hadst Thou — of us — "?

My need — was all I had — I said
The need did not reduce —
Because the food — exterminate —
The hunger — does not cease —

But diligence — is sharper —
Proportioned to the chance —
To feed opon the Retrograde —
Enfeebles — the Advance —