Advance is Life’s condition
The Grave but a Relay
Supposed to be a terminus
That makes it hated so—
The Tunnel is not lighted
Existence with a wall
Is better we consider
Than not exist at all—
Advance is Life’s condition
Summary
"Advance is Life's condition" is a short poem by Emily Dickinson that treats death as a relay rather than a final stop. In two compact stanzas, the speaker argues that the grave only seems hateful because we mistake it for a terminus. The unlit tunnel, a life hemmed in by walls, still beats not existing at all. The poem sets a stark image of darkness against stubborn forward movement and asks what makes survival worth choosing.
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