The Opening and the Close
The Opening and the Close Of Being, are alike Or differ, if they do, As Bloom upon a Stalk. That from an equal Seed Unto an equal Bud Go parallel, perfected In that they
My friend must be a Bird
My friend must be a Bird Because it flies! Mortal, my friend must be, Because it dies! Barbs has it, like a Bee! Ah, curious friend! Thou puzzlest me!
A solemn thing it was I said
A solemn thing it was I said A woman white to be And wear if God should count me fit Her blameless mystery A hallowed thing to drop a life Into the purple well
I lived on Dread
I lived on Dread To Those who know The Stimulus there is In Danger Other impetus Is numb and Vitalless As ’twere a Spur upon the Soul A Fear will urge it where To
An altered look about the hills
An altered look about the hills A Tyrian light the village fills A wider sunrise in the morn A deeper twilight on the lawn A print of a vermillion foot A purple finger on
Inconceivably solemn!
Inconceivably solemn! Things go gay Pierce by the very Press Of Imagery Their far Parades order on the eye With a mute Pomp A pleading Pageantry Flags, are a brave sight But no true
I prayed, at first, a little Girl
I prayed, at first, a little Girl, Because they told me to But stopped, when qualified to guess How prayer would feel to me If I believed God looked around, Each time my Childish
The Province of the Saved
The Province of the Saved Should be the Art To save Through Skill obtained in Themselves The Science of the Grave No Man can understand But He that hath endured The Dissolution in Himself
Truth is as old as God
Truth is as old as God His Twin identity And will endure as long as He A Co-Eternity And perish on the Day Himself is borne away From Mansion of the Universe A lifeless
The Fact that Earth is Heaven
The Fact that Earth is Heaven Whether Heaven is Heaven or not If not an Affidavit Of that specific Spot Not only must confirm us That it is not for us But that it
The Notice that is called the Spring
The Notice that is called the Spring Is but a month from here Put up my Heart thy Hoary work And take a Rosy Chair. Not any House the Flowers keep The Birds enamor
If anybody's friend be dead
If anybody’s friend be dead It’s sharpest of the theme The thinking how they walked alive At such and such a time Their costume, of a Sunday, Some manner of the Hair A prank
A Toad, can die of Light
A Toad, can die of Light Death is the Common Right Of Toads and Men Of Earl and Midge The privilege Why swagger, then? The Gnat’s supremacy is large as Thine Life is a
The Lamp burns sure within
The Lamp burns sure within Tho’ Serfs supply the Oil It matters not the busy Wick At her phosphoric toil! The Slave forgets to fill The Lamp burns golden on Unconscious that the oil
I watched the Moon around the House
I watched the Moon around the House Until upon a Pane She stopped a Traveller’s privilege for Rest And there upon I gazed as at a stranger The Lady in the Town Doth think
We miss a Kinsman more
We miss a Kinsman more When warranted to see Than when withheld of Oceans From possibility A Furlong than a League Inflicts a pricklier pain, Till We, who smiled at Pyrenees Of Parishes, complain.
Whose cheek is this?
Whose cheek is this? What rosy face Has lost a blush today? I found her “pleiad” in the woods And bore her safe away. Robins, in the tradition Did cover such with leaves, But
Which is the best the Moon or the Crescent?
Which is the best the Moon or the Crescent? Neither said the Moon That is best which is not Achieve it You efface the Sheen. Not of detention is Fruition Shudder to attain. Transport’s
I'm ceded I've stopped being Theirs
I’m ceded I’ve stopped being Theirs The name They dropped upon my face With water, in the country church Is finished using, now, And They can put it with my Dolls, My childhood, and
The morns are meeker than they were
The morns are meeker than they were The nuts are getting brown The berry’s cheek is plumper The Rose is out of town. The Maple wears a gayer scarf The field a scarlet gown
The Wind begun to rock the Grass
The Wind begun to rock the Grass With threatening Tunes and low He threw a Menace at the Earth A Menace at the Sky. The Leaves unhooked themselves from Trees And started all abroad
Who is it seeks my Pillow Nights
Who is it seeks my Pillow Nights With plain inspecting face “Did you” or “Did you not,” to ask ‘Tis “Conscience” Childhood’s Nurse With Martial Hand she strokes the Hair Upon my wincing Head
How noteless Men, and Pleiads, stand
How noteless Men, and Pleiads, stand, Until a sudden sky Reveals the fact that One is rapt Forever from the Eye Members of the Invisible, Existing, while we stare, In Leagueless Opportunity, O’ertakenless, as
Myself can read the Telegrams
Myself can read the Telegrams A Letter chief to me The Stock’s advance and Retrograde And what the Markets say The Weather how the Rains In Counties have begun. ‘Tis News as null as
I lost a World the other day!
I lost a World the other day! Has Anybody found? You’ll know it by the Row of Stars Around its forehead bound. A Rich man might not notice it Yet to my frugal Eye,
A soft Sea washed around the House
A soft Sea washed around the House A Sea of Summer Air And rose and fell the magic Planks That sailed without a care For Captain was the Butterfly For Helmsman was the Bee
Mute thy Coronation
Mute thy Coronation Meek my Vive le roi, Fold a tiny courtier In thine Ermine, Sir, There to rest revering Till the pageant by, I can murmur broken, Master, It was I
What mystery pervades a well!
What mystery pervades a well! That water lives so far A neighbor from another world Residing in a jar Whose limit none have ever seen, But just his lid of glass Like looking every
When I count the seeds
When I count the seeds That are sown beneath, To bloom so, bye and bye When I con the people Lain so low, To be received as high When I believe the garden Mortal
I felt a Funeral, in my Brain
I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, And Mourners to and fro Kept treading treading till it seemed That Sense was breaking through And when they all were seated, A Service, like a Drum
Removed from Accident of Loss
Removed from Accident of Loss By Accident of Gain Befalling not my simple Days Myself had just to earn Of Riches as unconscious As is the Brown Malay Of Pearls in Eastern Waters, Marked
Before I got my eye put out
Before I got my eye put out I liked as well to see As other Creatures, that have Eyes And know no other way But were it told to me Today That I might
Which is best? Heaven
Which is best? Heaven Or only Heaven to come With that old Codicil of Doubt? I cannot help esteem The “Bird within the Hand” Superior to the one The “Bush” may yield me Or
The power to be true to You
The power to be true to You, Until upon my face The Judgment push his Picture Presumptuous of Your Place Of This Could Man deprive Me Himself the Heaven excel Whose invitation Yours reduced
I took my power in my hand
I took my power in my hand And went AGAINST the world ‘Twas not so much as David had But I was twice as bold I aimed by pebble, but myself Was ALL the
Consulting summer's clock
Consulting summer’s clock, But half the hours remain. I ascertain it with a shock I shall not look again. The second half of joy Is shorter than the first. The truth I do not
You see I cannot see your lifetime
You see I cannot see your lifetime I must guess How many times it ache for me today Confess How many times for my far sake The brave eyes film But I guess guessing
High from the earth I heard a bird
High from the earth I heard a bird, He trod upon the trees As he esteemed them trifles, And then he spied a breeze, And situated softly Upon a pile of wind Which in
The harm of Years is on him
The harm of Years is on him The infamy of Time Depose him like a Fashion And give Dominion room. Forget his Morning Forces The Glory of Decay Is a minuter Pageant Than least
Bees are Black, with Gilt Surcingles
Bees are Black, with Gilt Surcingles Buccaneers of Buzz. Ride abroad in ostentation And subsist on Fuzz. Fuzz ordained not Fuzz contingent Marrows of the Hill. Jugs a Universe’s fracture Could not jar or
I have a King, who does not speak
I have a King, who does not speak So wondering thro’ the hours meek I trudge the day away Half glad when it is night, and sleep, If, haply, thro’ a dream, to peep
More than the Grave is closed to me
More than the Grave is closed to me The Grave and that Eternity To which the Grave adheres I cling to nowhere till I fall The Crash of nothing, yet of all How similar
It's easy to invent a Life
It’s easy to invent a Life God does it every Day Creation but the Gambol Of His Authority It’s easy to efface it The thrifty Deity Could scarce afford Eternity To Spontaneity The Perished
One Crucifixion is recorded only
One Crucifixion is recorded only How many be Is not affirmed of Mathematics Or History One Calvary exhibited to Stranger As many be As persons or Peninsulas Gethsemane Is but a Province in the
I saw that the Flake was on it
I saw that the Flake was on it But plotted with Time to dispute “Unchanged” I urged with a candor That cost me my honest Heart But “you” she returned with valor Sagacious of
My Wars are laid away in Books
My Wars are laid away in Books I have one Battle more A Foe whom I have never seen But oft has scanned me o’er And hesitated me between And others at my side,
Teach Him When He makes the names
Teach Him When He makes the names Such an one to say On his babbling Berry lips As should sound to me Were my Ear as near his nest As my thought today As
Tell all the Truth but tell it slant
Tell all the Truth but tell it slant Success in Circuit lies Too bright for our infirm Delight The Truth’s superb surprise As Lightning to the Children eased With explanation kind The Truth must
All forgot for recollecting
All forgot for recollecting Just a paltry One All forsook, for just a Stranger’s New Accompanying Grace of Wealth, and Grace of Station Less accounted than An unknown Esteem possessing Estimate Who can Home
Tie the Strings to my Life, My Lord
Tie the Strings to my Life, My Lord, Then, I am ready to go! Just a look at the Horses Rapid! That will do! Put me in on the firmest side So I shall
There is a Shame of Nobleness
There is a Shame of Nobleness Confronting Sudden Pelf A finer Shame of Ecstasy Convicted of Itself A best Disgrace a Brave Man feels Acknowledged of the Brave One More “Ye Blessed” to be
A little East of Jordan
A little East of Jordan, Evangelists record, A Gymnast and an Angel Did wrestle long and hard Till morning touching mountain And Jacob, waxing strong, The Angel begged permission To Breakfast to return Not
No Notice gave She, but a Change
No Notice gave She, but a Change No Message, but a Sigh For Whom, the Time did not suffice That She should specify. She was not warm, though Summer shone Nor scrupulous of cold
Exultation is the going
Exultation is the going Of an inland soul to sea, Past the houses past the headlands Into deep Eternity Bred as we, among the mountains, Can the sailor understand The divine intoxication Of the
The Heart has narrow Banks
The Heart has narrow Banks It measures like the Sea In mighty unremitting Bass And Blue Monotony Till Hurricane bisect And as itself discerns Its insufficient Area The Heart convulsive learns That Calm is
The Days that we can spare
The Days that we can spare Are those a Function die Or Friend or Nature stranded then In our Economy Our Estimates a Scheme Our Ultimates a Sham We let go all of Time
Bloom is Result to meet a Flower
Bloom is Result to meet a Flower And casually glance Would scarcely cause one to suspect The minor Circumstance Assisting in the Bright Affair So intricately done Then offered as a Butterfly To the
The Body grows without
The Body grows without The more convenient way That if the Spirit like to hide Its Temple stands, alway, Ajar secure inviting It never did betray The Soul that asked its shelter In solemn
She laid her docile Crescent down
She laid her docile Crescent down And this confiding Stone Still states to Dates that have forgot The News that she is gone So constant to its stolid trust, The Shaft that never knew
The Fingers of the Light
The Fingers of the Light Tapped soft upon the Town With “I am great and cannot wait So therefore let me in.” “You’re soon,” the Town replied, “My Faces are asleep But swear, and
The Road to Paradise is plain
The Road to Paradise is plain, And holds scarce one. Not that it is not firm But we presume A Dimpled Road Is more preferred. The Belles of Paradise are few Not me nor
If I should cease to bring a Rose
If I should cease to bring a Rose Upon a festal day, ‘Twill be because beyond the Rose I have been called away If I should cease to take the names My buds commemorate
Its Hour with itself
Its Hour with itself The Spirit never shows. What Terror would enthrall the Street Could Countenance disclose The Subterranean Freight The Cellars of the Soul Thank God the loudest Place he made Is license
If I could bribe them by a Rose
If I could bribe them by a Rose I’d bring them every flower that grows From Amherst to Cashmere! I would not stop for night, or storm Or frost, or death, or anyone My
The One who could repeat the Summer day
The One who could repeat the Summer day Were greater than itself though He Minutest of Mankind should be And He could reproduce the Sun At period of going down The Lingering and the
If all the griefs I am to have
If all the griefs I am to have Would only come today, I am so happy I believe They’d laugh and run away. If all the joys I am to have Would only come
Savior! I've no one else to tell
Savior! I’ve no one else to tell And so I trouble thee. I am the one forgot thee so Dost thou remember me? Nor, for myself, I came so far That were the little
What tenements of clover
What tenements of clover Are fitting for the bee, What edifices azure For butterflies and me What residences nimble Arise and evanesce Without a rhythmic rumor Or an assaulting guess.
Two swimmers wrestled on the spar
Two swimmers wrestled on the spar Until the morning sun When One turned smiling to the land Oh God! the Other One! The stray ships passing Spied a face Upon the waters borne With
A Solemn thing within the Soul
A Solemn thing within the Soul To feel itself get ripe And golden hang while farther up The Maker’s Ladders stop And in the Orchard far below You hear a Being drop A Wonderful
How know it from a Summer's Day?
How know it from a Summer’s Day? Its Fervors are as firm And nothing in the Countenance But scintillates the same Yet Birds examine it and flee And Vans without a name Inspect the
A Cap of Lead across the sky
A Cap of Lead across the sky Was tight and surly drawn We could not find the mighty Face The Figure was withdrawn A Chill came up as from a shaft Our noon became
Rearrange a "Wife's" affection!
Rearrange a “Wife’s” affection! When they dislocate my Brain! Amputate my freckled Bosom! Make me bearded like a man! Blush, my spirit, in thy Fastness Blush, my unacknowledged clay Seven years of troth have
The pretty Rain from those sweet Eaves
The pretty Rain from those sweet Eaves Her unintending Eyes Took her own Heart, including ours, By innocent Surprise The wrestle in her simple Throat To hold the feeling down That vanquished her defeated
When I was small, a Woman died
When I was small, a Woman died Today her Only Boy Went up from the Potomac His face all Victory To look at her How slowly The Seasons must have turned Till Bullets clipt
When they come back if Blossoms do
When they come back if Blossoms do I always feel a doubt If Blossoms can be born again When once the Art is out When they begin, if Robins may, I always had a
The Moon is distant from the Sea
The Moon is distant from the Sea And yet, with Amber Hands She leads Him docile as a Boy Along appointed Sands He never misses a Degree Obedient to Her Eye He comes just
One of the ones that Midas touched
One of the ones that Midas touched Who failed to touch us all Was that confiding Prodigal The reeling Oriole So drunk he disavows it With badinage divine So dazzling we mistake him For
She sped as Petals of a Rose
She sped as Petals of a Rose Offended by the Wind A frail Aristocrat of Time Indemnity to find Leaving on nature a Default As Cricket or as Bee But Andes in the Bosoms
Bereavement in their death to feel
Bereavement in their death to feel Whom We have never seen A Vital Kinsmanship import Our Soul and theirs between For Stranger Strangers do not mourn There be Immortal friends Whom Death see first
If those I loved were lost
If those I loved were lost The Crier’s voice would tell me If those I loved were found The bells of Ghent would ring Did those I loved repose The Daisy would impel me.
Summer is shorter than any one
Summer is shorter than any one Life is shorter than Summer Seventy Years is spent as quick As an only Dollar Sorrow now is polite and stays See how well we spurn him Equally
A House upon the Height
A House upon the Height That Wagon never reached No Dead, were ever carried down No Peddler’s Cart approached Whose Chimney never smoked Whose Windows Night and Morn Caught Sunrise first and Sunset last
Bless God, he went as soldiers
Bless God, he went as soldiers, His musket on his breast Grant God, he charge the bravest Of all the martial blest! Please God, might I behold him In epauletted white I should not
Of the Heart that goes in, and closes the Door
Of the Heart that goes in, and closes the Door Shall the Playfellow Heart complain Though the Ring is unwhole, and the Company broke Can never be fitted again?
On this long storm the Rainbow rose
On this long storm the Rainbow rose On this late Morn the Sun The clouds like listless Elephants Horizons straggled down The Birds rose smiling, in their nests The gales indeed were done Alas,
Musicians wrestle everywhere
Musicians wrestle everywhere All day among the crowded air I hear the silver strife And walking long before the morn Such transport breaks upon the town I think it that “New Life”! If is
I fear a Man of frugal Speech
I fear a Man of frugal Speech I fear a Silent Man Haranguer I can overtake Or Babbler entertain But He who weigheth While the Rest Expend their furthest pound Of this Man I
He parts Himself like Leaves
He parts Himself like Leaves And then He closes up Then stands upon the Bonnet Of Any Buttercup And then He runs against And oversets a Rose And then does Nothing Then away upon
Wild Nights Wild Nights!
Wild Nights Wild Nights! Were I with thee Wild Nights should be Our luxury! Futile the Winds To a Heart in port Done with the Compass Done with the Chart! Rowing in Eden Ah,
If I shouldn't be alive
If I shouldn’t be alive When the Robins come, Give the one in Red Cravat, A Memorial crumb. If I couldn’t thank you, Being fast asleep, You will know I’m trying Why my Granite
Heart, not so heavy as mine
Heart, not so heavy as mine Wending late home As it passed my window Whistled itself a tune A careless snatch a ballad A ditty of the street Yet to my irritated Ear An
I know of people in the Grave
I know of people in the Grave Who would be very glad To know the news I know tonight If they the chance had had. ‘Tis this expands the least event And swells the
I have never seen "Volcanoes"
I have never seen “Volcanoes” But, when Travellers tell How those old phlegmatic mountains Usually so still Bear within appalling Ordnance, Fire, and smoke, and gun, Taking Villages for breakfast, And appalling Men If
'Tis not that Dying hurts us so
‘Tis not that Dying hurts us so ‘Tis Living hurts us more But Dying is a different way A Kind behind the Door The Southern Custom of the Bird That ere the Frosts are
Somewhere upon the general Earth
Somewhere upon the general Earth Itself exist Today The Magic passive but extant That consecrated me Indifferent Seasons doubtless play Where I for right to be Would pay each Atom that I am But
Dare you see a Soul at the White Heat?
Dare you see a Soul at the White Heat? Then crouch within the door Red is the Fire’s common tint But when the vivid Ore Has vanquished Flame’s conditions, It quivers from the Forge
Midsummer, was it, when They died
Midsummer, was it, when They died A full, and perfect time The Summer closed upon itself In Consummated Bloom The Corn, her furthest kernel filled Before the coming Flail When These leaned unto Perfectness
The Rose did caper on her cheek
The Rose did caper on her cheek Her Bodice rose and fell Her pretty speech like drunken men Did stagger pitiful Her fingers fumbled at her work Her needle would not go What ailed
That she forgot me was the least
That she forgot me was the least I felt it second pain That I was worthy to forget Was most I thought upon. Faithful was all that I could boast But Constancy became To