Relationships and Family

We learned the Whole of Love

568

We learned the Whole of Love-
The Alphabet-the Words-
A Chapter-then the mighty BookThen-
Revelation closed-

But in Each Other's eyes
An Ignorance beheld-
Diviner than the Childhood's-
And each to each, a Child-

Attempted to expound
What Neither-understood-
Alas, that Wisdom is so large-
And Truth-so manifold!

To my small Hearth His fire came

638

To my small Hearth His fire came-
And all my House aglow
Did fan and rock, with sudden light'
Twas Sunrise-'twas the Sky-

Impanelled from no Summer brief-
With limit of Decay'
Twas Noon-without the News of Night-
Nay, Nature, it was Day-

To love thee Year by Year

434

To love thee Year by Year-
May less appear
Than sacrifice, and cease-
However, dear,
Forever might be short, I thought to show-
And so I pieced it, with a flower, now.

The Mountain sat upon the Plain

975

The Mountain sat upon the Plain
In his tremendous Chair-
His observation omnifold,
His inquest, everywhere-

The Seasons played around his knees
Like Children round a sire-
Grandfather of the Days is He
Of Dawn, the Ancestor-

Teach Him—When He makes the names

227

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 should sound—
"Forbid us not"—
Some like "Emily."

Taking up the fair Ideal

428

Taking up the fair Ideal,
Just to cast her down
When a fracture-we discover-
Or a splintered Crown-
Makes the Heavens portable-
And the Gods-a lieDoubtless-"
Adam"-scowled at Eden-
For his perjury!

Cherishing-our pool Ideal-
Till in purer dress-
We behold her-glorifiedComforts-
search-like this-
Till the broken creatures-
We adored-for wholeStains-
all washedTransfigured-
mended-
Meet us-with a smile-

Sweet-safe-Houses


457

Sweet-safe-HousesGlad-
gay-Houses-
Sealed so stately tight-
Lids of Steel-on Lids of Marble-
Locking Bare feet out-

Brooks of Plush-in Banks of Satin
Not so softly fall
As the laughter-and the whisper-
From their People Pearl-

No Bald Death-affront their Parlors-
No Bold Sickness come
To deface their Stately TreasuresAnguish-
and the Tomb-

Hum by-in Muffled Coaches-
Lest they-wonder WhyAny-
for the Press of SmilingInterrupt-
to die-

Some, too fragile for winter winds

141

Some, too fragile for winter winds
The thoughtful grave encloses-
Tenderly tucking them in from frost
Before their feet are cold.


Never the treasures in her nest
The cautious grave exposes,
Building where schoolboy dare not look,
And sportsman is not bold.


This covert have all the children
Early aged, and often cold,
Sparrow, unnoticed by the Father-
Lambs for whom time had not a fold.

So the Eyes accost—and sunder

752

So the Eyes accost—and sunder
In an Audience—
Stamped—occasionally—forever—
So may Countenance


Entertain—without addressing
Countenance of One
In a Neighboring Horizon—
Gone—as soon as known—

She sweeps with many-colored brooms,

She sweeps with many-colored brooms,
And leaves the shreds behind;
Oh, housewife in the evening west,
Come back, and dust the pond!


You dropped a purple ravelling in,
You dropped an amber thread;
And now you've littered all the East
With duds of emerald!


And still she plies her spotted brooms,
And still the aprons fly,
Till brooms fade softly into stars --
And then I come away.

She dealt her pretty words like Blades

479

She dealt her pretty words like Blades-
How glittering they shone-
And every One unbared a Nerve
Or wantoned with a Bone-

She never deemed-she hurtThat-
is not Steel's Affair-
A vulgar grimace in the Flesh-
How ill the Creatures bear-

To Ache is human-not polite-
The Film upon the eye
Mortality's old Custom-
Just locking up-to Die.

Over the fence

251

Over the fenceStrawberries-
grow-
Over the fence-
I could climb-if I tried, I know-
Berries are nice!


But-if I stained my Apron-
God would certainly scold!
Oh, dear,-I guess if He were a BoyHe'd-
climb-if He could!

Not in this world to see his face

Not in this world to see his face
Sounds long, until I read the place
Where this is said to be
But just the primer to a life
Unopened, rare, upon the shelf,
Clasped yet to him and me.


And yet, my primer suits me so
I would not choose a book to know
Than that, be sweeter wise;
Might some one else so learned be.
And leave me just my A B C,
Himself could have the skies.

No matter—now—Sweet

704

No matter—now—Sweet—
But when I'm Earl—
Won't you wish you'd spoken
To that dull Girl?


Trivial a Word—just—
Trivial—a Smile—
But won't you wish you'd spared one
When I'm Earl?


I shan't need it—then—
Crests—will do—
Eagles on my Buckles—
On my Belt—too—


Ermine—my familiar Gown—
Say—Sweet—then
Won't you wish you'd smiled—just—
Me upon?

New feet within my garden go

99

New feet within my garden go-
New fingers stir the sod-
A Troubadour upon the Elm
Betrays the solitude.

New children play upon the green-
New Weary sleep below-
And still the pensive Spring returns-
And still the punctual snow!

Mama never forgets her birds

164

Mama never forgets her birds,
Though in another tree-
She looks down just as often
And just as tenderly
As when her little mortal nest
With cunning care she wove-
If either of her "sparrows fall,"
She "notices," above.

Love-thou art high

453

Love-thou art high-
I cannot climb thee-
But, were it Two-
Who know but we-
Taking turns-at the ChimborazoDucal-
at last-stand up by thee


Love-thou are deep-
I cannot cross thee-
But, were there Two
Instead of One-
Rower, and Yacht-some sovereign Summer-
Who knows-but we'd reach the Sun?

Love-thou are Veiled-
A few-behold theeSmile-
and alter-and prattle-and dieBliss-
were an Oddity-without thee-
Nicknamed by God-
Eternity-

Like eyes that looked on Wastes

458

Like eyes that looked on Wastes-
Incredulous of Ought
But Blank-and steady Wilderness-
Diversified by Night-

Just Infinites of Nought-
As far as it could see-
So looked the face I looked upon-
So looked itself-on Me-

I offered it no Help-
Because the Cause was Mine-
The Misery a Compact
As hopeless-as divine


Neither-would be absolved-
Neither would be a Queen
Without the Other-Therefore-
We perish-tho' We reign-

I've none to tell me to but Thee

881

I've none to tell me to but Thee
So when Thou failest, nobody.
It was a little tie-
It just held Two, nor those it held
Since Somewhere thy sweet Face has spilled
Beyond my Boundary-

If things were opposite-and Me
And Me it were-that ebbed from Thee
On some unanswering ShoreWould'st
Thou seek so-just say
That I the Answer may pursue
Unto the lips it eddied throughSo-
overtaking Thee-

It's all I have to bring today

26

It's all I have to bring today-
This, and my heart beside-
This, and my heart, and all the fields-
And all the meadows wide-
Be sure you count-should I forget
Some one the sum could tell-
This, and my heart, and all the Bees
Which in the Clover dwell.

It dropped so low in my regard

It dropped so low in my regard
I heard it hit the ground,
And go to pieces on the stones
At bottom of my mind;

Yet blamed the fate that fractured, less
Than I reviled myself
For entertaining plated wares
Upon my silver shelf.

It bloomed and dropt, a Single Noon

978

It bloomed and dropt, a Single Noon-
The Flower-distinct and Red-
I, passing, thought another Noon
Another in its stead

Will equal glow, and thought no More
But came another Day
To find the Species disappeared-
The Same Locality-

The Sun in place-no other fraud
On Nature's perfect Sum-
Had I but lingered Yesterday-
Was my retrieveless blame-

Much Flowers of this and further Zones
Have perished in my Hands
For seeking its Resemblance-
But unapproached it stands-

The single Flower of the Earth
That I, in passing by
Unconscious was-Great Nature's Face
Passed infinite by Me-

Is it true, dear Sue?

218

Is it true, dear Sue?
Are there two?
I shouldn't like to come
For fear of joggling Him!
If I could shut him up
In a Coffee Cup,
Or tie him to a pin
Till I got in-
Or make him fast
To "Toby's" fist-
Hist! Whist! I'd come!

I years had been from home,

I years had been from home,
And now, before the door,
I dared not open, lest a face
I never saw before


Stare vacant into mine
And ask my business there.
My business,--just a life I left,
Was such still dwelling there?


I fumbled at my nerve,
I scanned the windows near;
The silence like an ocean rolled,
And broke against my ear.


I laughed a wooden laugh
That I could fear a door,
Who danger and the dead had faced,
But never quaked before.


I fitted to the latch
My hand, with trembling care,
Lest back the awful door should spring,
And leave me standing there.


I moved my fingers off
As cautiously as glass,
And held my ears, and like a thief
Fled gasping from the house.