What I Can Do-I Will ~ A Poem by Emily Dickinson

Do What You Can: Emily Dickinson’s Lesson on Small Acts and Possibility

Small acts, offered with intention, can change a life—sometimes starting with your own.

What I Can Do I will

Emily Dickinson

What I can do—I will—
Though it be little as a Daffodil—
That I cannot—must be
Unknown to possibility—

Source

Reflection

Emily Dickinson reminds us that greatness is not measured by scale, but by sincerity. A daffodil—small, fleeting, quiet—still brightens the world, and so do our seemingly modest acts. Too often, we wait for perfect conditions, more confidence, or a larger platform before we begin. Dickinson invites us to embrace what is within our reach today and release the rest without guilt. What we cannot yet do is not failure—it is simply “unknown to possibility,” waiting for its season. The world is shaped not by grand gestures, but by many humble offerings of light, hope, and steady effort.

As you read this poem, ask yourself:

Where in my life can I do one small thing today that lifts myself—or someone else—into the sunlight?