Emotions and Feelings

As imperceptibly as Grief

1540

As imperceptibly as Grief
The Summer lapsed away-
Too imperceptible at last
To seem like Perfidy-
A Quietness distilled
As Twilight long begun,
Or Nature spending with herself
Sequestered Afternoon-
The Dusk drew earlier in-
The Morning foreign shone-
A courteous, yet harrowing Grace,
As Guest, that would be gone-
And thus, without a Wing
Or service of a Keel
Our Summer made her light escape
Into the Beautiful.

As Frost is best conceived

951

As Frost is best conceived
By force of its Result-
Affliction is inferred
By subsequent effect-

If when the sun reveal,
The Garden keep the Gash-
If as the Days resume
The wilted countenance

Cannot correct the crease
Or counteract the stain-
Presumption is Vitality
Was somewhere put in twain.

As if some little Arctic flower

180

As if some little Arctic flower
Upon the polar hem-
Went wandering down the Latitudes
Until it puzzled came
To continents of summer-
To firmaments of sun-
To strange, bright crowds of flowers-
And birds, of foreign tongue!
I say, As if this little flower
To Eden, wandered in-
What then? Why nothing,
Only, your inference therefrom!

As by the dead we love to sit

88

As by the dead we love to sit,
Become so wondrous dear-
As for the lost we grapple
Tho' all the rest are here-

In broken mathematics
We estimate our prize
Vast-in its fading ration
To our penurious eyes!

An awful Tempest mashed the air

198

An awful Tempest mashed the air-
The clouds were gaunt, and few-
A Black-as of a Spectre's Cloak
Hid Heaven and Earth from view.

The creatures chuckled on the Roofs-
And whistled in the air-
And shook their fists-
And gnashed their teeth-
And swung their frenzied hair.

The morning lit-the Birds arose-
The Monster's faded eyes
Turned slowly to his native coast-
And peace-was Paradise!

Alter! When the Hills do

729

Alter! When the Hills do-
Falter! When the Sun
Question if His Glory
Be the Perfect One-

Surfeit! When the Daffodil
Doth of the Dew-
Even as Herself-Sir-
I will-of You-

All forgot for recollecting

966

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 possessingEstimate-
Who can-

Home effaced-Her faces dwindledNature-
altered smallSun-
if shone-or Storm-if shattered-
Overlooked I all


Dropped-my fate-a timid Pebble-
In thy bolder SeaProve-
me-Sweet-if I regret it-
Prove Myself-of Thee-

All forgot for recollecting

966

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 possessingEstimate-
Who can-

Home effaced-Her faces dwindledNature-
altered smallSun-
if shone-or Storm-if shattered-
Overlooked I all


Dropped-my fate-a timid Pebble-
In thy bolder SeaProve-
me-Sweet-if I regret it-
Prove Myself-of Thee-

Ah, Moon—and Star!

240

Ah, Moon—and Star!
You are very far—
But were no one
Farther than you—
Do you think I'd stop
For a Firmament—
Or a Cubit—or so?


I could borrow a Bonnet
Of the Lark—
And a Chamois' Silver Boot—
And a stirrup of an Antelope—
And be with you—Tonight!


But, Moon, and Star,
Though you're very far—
There is one—farther than you—
He—is more than a firmament—from Me—
So I can never go!

After a hundred years

After a hundred years
Nobody knows the place,--
Agony, that enacted there,
Motionless as peace.


Weeds triumphant ranged,
Strangers strolled and spelled
At the lone orthography
Of the elder dead.


Winds of summer fields
Recollect the way,--
Instinct picking up the key
Dropped by memory.

After great pain, a formal feeling comes -- (341)

After great pain, a formal feeling comes --
The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs
The stiff Heart questions, was it He, that bore,
And Yesterday, or Centuries before?


The Feet, mechanical, go round --
Of Ground, or Air, or Ought --
A Wooden way
Regardless grown,
A Quartz contentment, like a stone --


This is the Hour of Lead --
Remembered, if outlived,
As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow --
First -- Chill -- then Stupor -- then the letting go --

After great pain, a formal feeling comes -- (341)

After great pain, a formal feeling comes --
The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs
The stiff Heart questions, was it He, that bore,
And Yesterday, or Centuries before?


The Feet, mechanical, go round --
Of Ground, or Air, or Ought --
A Wooden way
Regardless grown,
A Quartz contentment, like a stone --


This is the Hour of Lead --
Remembered, if outlived,
As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow --
First -- Chill -- then Stupor -- then the letting go --

Absence disembodies—so does Death

860

Absence disembodies—so does Death
Hiding individuals from the Earth
Superposition helps, as well as love—
Tenderness decreases as we prove—

Adrift! A little boat adrift!

30

Adrift! A little boat adrift!
And night is coming down!
Will no one guide a little boat
Unto the nearest town?

So Sailors say-on yesterday-
Just as the dusk was brown
One little boat gave up its strife
And gurgled down and down.

So angels say-on yesterday-
Just as the dawn was red
One little boat-o'erspent with gales-
Retrimmed its masts-redecked its sails-
And shot-exultant on!

Adrift! A little boat adrift!

30

Adrift! A little boat adrift!
And night is coming down!
Will no one guide a little boat
Unto the nearest town?

So Sailors say-on yesterday-
Just as the dusk was brown
One little boat gave up its strife
And gurgled down and down.

So angels say-on yesterday-
Just as the dawn was red
One little boat-o'erspent with gales-
Retrimmed its masts-redecked its sails-
And shot-exultant on!

A Weight with Needles on the pounds

264

A Weight with Needles on the pounds-
To push, and pierce, besides-
That if the Flesh resist the Heft-
The puncture-coolly tries-

That not a pore be overlooked
Of all this Compound Frame-
As manifold for Anguish-
As Species-be-for name-

A Weight with Needles on the pounds

264

A Weight with Needles on the pounds-
To push, and pierce, besides-
That if the Flesh resist the Heft-
The puncture-coolly tries-

That not a pore be overlooked
Of all this Compound Frame-
As manifold for Anguish-
As Species-be-for name-

A Wounded Deer-leaps highest

165

A Wounded Deer-leaps highestI've
heard the Hunter tell'
Tis but the Ecstasy of death-
And then the Brake is still!


The Smitten Rock that gushes!
The trampled Steel that springs!
A Cheek is always redder
Just where the Hectic stings!


Mirth is the Mail of Anguish
In which it Cautious Arm,
Lest anybody spy the blood
And "you're hurt" exclaim!

A Wounded Deer-leaps highest

165

A Wounded Deer-leaps highestI've
heard the Hunter tell'
Tis but the Ecstasy of death-
And then the Brake is still!


The Smitten Rock that gushes!
The trampled Steel that springs!
A Cheek is always redder
Just where the Hectic stings!


Mirth is the Mail of Anguish
In which it Cautious Arm,
Lest anybody spy the blood
And "you're hurt" exclaim!

A Wounded Deer-leaps highest

165

A Wounded Deer-leaps highestI've
heard the Hunter tell'
Tis but the Ecstasy of death-
And then the Brake is still!


The Smitten Rock that gushes!
The trampled Steel that springs!
A Cheek is always redder
Just where the Hectic stings!


Mirth is the Mail of Anguish
In which it Cautious Arm,
Lest anybody spy the blood
And "you're hurt" exclaim!

A transport one cannot contain

184

A transport one cannot contain
May yet a transport be-
Though God forbid it lift the lid-
Unto its Ecstasy!


A Diagram-of Rapture!
A sixpence at a Show-
With Holy Ghosts in Cages!
The Universe would go!

A throe upon the features

71

A throe upon the features-
A hurry in the breath-
An ecstasy of parting
Denominated "Death"-

An anguish at the mention
Which when to patience grown,
I've known permission given
To rejoin its own.

A still—Volcano—Life

601

A still—Volcano—Life—
That flickered in the night—
When it was dark enough to do
Without erasing sight—


A quiet—Earthquake Style—
Too subtle to suspect
By natures this side Naples—
The North cannot detect


The Solemn—Torrid—Symbol—
The lips that never lie—
Whose hissing Corals part—and shut—
And Cities—ooze away—

A Shade upon the mind there passes

882

A Shade upon the mind there passes
As when on Noon
A Cloud the mighty Sun encloses
Remembering

That some there be too numb to notice
Oh God
Why give if Thou must take away
The Loved?