A Plea for Advice

So I took the GRE. My verbal score (the only one that English departments care about) was 550 (out of 800). I was told that I needed to break 600. So my question is, do I retake it?

Reasons not to take the GRE again:

1. It costs $115.
2. It lasts 4 hours.
3. I don't have time to study.
4. My score was only 10 points higher than when I took it 5 years ago.
5. It's stressful. I cried when I saw my score.
   
6. The writing sample and letters of recommendation are really what matter. (right?)
7. It doesn't really test my knowledge. I'm not really sure what it's testing anyway (my vocabulary?).
8. Shouldn't the fact that I have an MA prove that I'm capable of doing graduate level work?
   

Reasons to take the GRE again:

1. It can't hurt.
2. As long as there's a Saturday test date open in November, it won't interfere with my teaching, just my grading.
3. You can't really study for it.
4. I got at 640 on the practice test I took 3 days before, so I should be able to do better.
5. I was told having 600 or higher would help my application.

So that's my dilema. I really want to get into the PhD program to which I'm applying. My letters should all be really good, and my writing sample will be published next year. But this is a reapplication; they didn't accept me when I applied for this Fall. (They said I wasn't accepted because one letter was short and general.) I was told my chances are better since I'm actually in Island State, taking a class in the department, and getting a letter from within the department, but still . . .

Do I want to spend my time retaking the GRE when it may not really matter? I'm thinking I should because it can't hurt. And there's something up with me getting a 640 on the practice test and a 550 on the real thing 3 days later. I don't want to retake it, but I want to do everything I can to get accepted into the program. What do you think?