Life and Existence

Spring is the Period

844

Spring is the Period
Express from God.
Among the other seasons
Himself abide,

But during March and April
None stir abroad
Without a cordial interview
With God.

Speech—is a prank of Parliament—

"Speech"—is a prank of Parliament—
"Tears"—is a trick of the nerve—
But the Heart with the heaviest freight on—
Doesn't—always—move—

Soto! Explore thyself!

832

Soto! Explore thyself!
Therein thyself shalt find
The "Undiscovered Continent"-
No Settler had the Mind.

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.

Some things that fly there be

89

Some things that fly there beBirds-
Hours-the Bumblebee-
Of these no Elegy.

Some things that stay there beGrief-
Hills-Eternity-
Nor this behooveth me.

There are that resting, rise.
Can I expound the skies?
How still the Riddle lies!

Some things that fly there be

89

Some things that fly there beBirds-
Hours-the Bumblebee-
Of these no Elegy.

Some things that stay there beGrief-
Hills-Eternity-
Nor this behooveth me.

There are that resting, rise.
Can I expound the skies?
How still the Riddle lies!

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—

So proud she was to die

So proud she was to die
It made us all ashamed
That what we cherished, so unknown
To her desire seemed.

So satisfied to go
Where none of us should be,
Immediately, that anguish stooped
Almost to jealousy.

So has a Daisy vanished

28

So has a Daisy vanished
From the fields today-
So tiptoed many a slipper
To Paradise away-

Oozed so in crimson bubbles
Day's departing tideBlooming-
tripping-flowing
Are ye then with God?

So has a Daisy vanished

28

So has a Daisy vanished
From the fields today-
So tiptoed many a slipper
To Paradise away-

Oozed so in crimson bubbles
Day's departing tideBlooming-
tripping-flowing
Are ye then with God?

So from the mould

66

So from the mould
Scarlet and Gold
Many a Bulb will rise-
Hidden away, cunningly, From sagacious eyes.


So from Cocoon
Many a Worm
Leap so Highland gay,
Peasants like me,
Peasants like Thee
Gaze perplexedly!

Should you but fail at—Sea

226

Should you but fail at—Sea—
In sight of me—
Or doomed lie—
Next Sun—to die—
Or rap—at Paradise—unheard
I'd harass God
Until he let you in!

Size circumscribes—it has no room

641

Size circumscribes—it has no room
For petty furniture—
The Giant tolerates no Gnat
For Ease of Gianture—


Repudiates it, all the more—
Because intrinsic size
Ignores the possibility
Of Calumnies—or Flies.

She rose to His Requirement

732

She rose to His Requirement-dropt
The Playthings of Her Life
To take the honorable Work
Of Woman, and of Wife-


If ought She missed in Her new Day,
Of Amplitude, or Awe-
Or first Prospective-Or the Gold
In using, wear away,


It lay unmentioned-as the Sea
Develop Pearl, and Weed,
But only to Himself-be known
The Fathoms they abide-

She rose to His Requirement

732

She rose to His Requirement-dropt
The Playthings of Her Life
To take the honorable Work
Of Woman, and of Wife-


If ought She missed in Her new Day,
Of Amplitude, or Awe-
Or first Prospective-Or the Gold
In using, wear away,


It lay unmentioned-as the Sea
Develop Pearl, and Weed,
But only to Himself-be known
The Fathoms they abide-

She died—this was the way she died

150

She died—this was the way she died.
And when her breath was done
Took up her simple wardrobe
And started for the sun.
Her little figure at the gate
The Angels must have spied,
Since I could never find her
Upon the mortal side.

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.

Sexton! My Master's sleeping here

96

Sexton! My Master's sleeping here.
Pray lead me to his bed!
I came to build the Bird's nest,
And sow the Early seed-


That when the snow creeps slowly
From off his chamber door-
Daisies point the way there-
And the Troubadour.

Savior! I've no one else to tell

217

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 load-
I brought thee the imperial Heart
I had not strength to hold-
The Heart I carried in my own-
Till mine too heavy grewYet-
strangest-heavier since it went-
Is it too large for you?

Robbed by Death—but that was easy

971

Robbed by Death—but that was easy—
To the failing Eye
I could hold the latest Glowing—
Robbed by Liberty


For Her Jugular Defences—
This, too, I endured—
Hint of Glory—it afforded—
For the Brave Beloved—


Fraud of Distance—Fraud of Danger,
Fraud of Death—to bear—
It is Bounty—to Suspense's
Vague Calamity—


Stalking our entire Possession
On a Hair's result—
Then—seesawing—coolly—on it—
Trying if it split—

Robbed by Death—but that was easy

971

Robbed by Death—but that was easy—
To the failing Eye
I could hold the latest Glowing—
Robbed by Liberty


For Her Jugular Defences—
This, too, I endured—
Hint of Glory—it afforded—
For the Brave Beloved—


Fraud of Distance—Fraud of Danger,
Fraud of Death—to bear—
It is Bounty—to Suspense's
Vague Calamity—


Stalking our entire Possession
On a Hair's result—
Then—seesawing—coolly—on it—
Trying if it split—

Renunciation


Renunciation -- is a piercing Virtue --
The letting go
A Presence -- for an Expectation --
Not now --
The putting out of Eyes --
Just Sunrise --
Lest Day -Day's
Great Progenitor --
Outvie
Renunciation -- is the Choosing
Against itself --
Itself to justify
Unto itself --
When larger function --
Make that appear --
Smaller -- that Covered Vision -- Here --

Read—Sweet—how others—strove

260

Read—Sweet—how others—strove—
Till we—are stouter—
What they—renounced—
Till we—are less afraid—
How many times they—bore the faithful witness—
Till we—are helped—
As if a Kingdom—cared!


Read then—of faith—
That shone above the fagot—
Clear strains of Hymn
The River could not drown—
Brave names of Men—
And Celestial Women—
Passed out—of Record
Into—Renown!

Prayer is the little implement

437

Prayer is the little implement
Through which Men reach
Where Presence-is denied them.
They fling their Speech

By means of it-in God's Ear-
If then He hear-
This sums the Apparatus
Comprised in Prayer-