Nature and Elements

When Roses cease to bloom, Sir

32

When Roses cease to bloom, Sir,
And Violets are done-
When Bumblebees in solemn flight
Have passed beyond the Sun-
The hand that paused to gather
Upon this Summer's day
Will idle lie-in Auburn-
Then take my flowers-pray!

When Roses cease to bloom, Sir

32

When Roses cease to bloom, Sir,
And Violets are done-
When Bumblebees in solemn flight
Have passed beyond the Sun-
The hand that paused to gather
Upon this Summer's day
Will idle lie-in Auburn-
Then take my flowers-pray!

When I have seen the Sun emerge

888

When I have seen the Sun emerge
From His amazing House-
And leave a Day at every Door
A Deed, in every place-

Without the incident of Fame
Or accident of Noise-
The Earth has seemed to me a Drum,
Pursued of little Boys

We—Bee and I—live by the quaffing

230

We—Bee and I—live by the quaffing—
'Tisn't all Hock—with us—
Life has its Ale—
But it's many a lay of the Dim Burgundy—
We chant—for cheer—when the Wines—fail—


Do we "get drunk"?
Ask the jolly Clovers!
Do we "beat" our "Wife"?
I—never wed—
Bee—pledges his—in minute flagons—
Dainty—as the trees—on our deft Head—


While runs the Rhine—
He and I—revel—
First—at the vat—and latest at the Vine—
Noon—our last Cup—
"Found dead"—"of Nectar"—
By a humming Coroner—
In a By-Thyme!

Twas such a little—little boat

107

'Twas such a little—little boat
That toddled down the bay!
'Twas such a gallant—gallant sea
That beckoned it away!

'Twas such a greedy, greedy wave
That licked it from the Coast—
Nor ever guessed the stately sails
My little craft was lost!

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 interrupt His Yellow Plan

591

To interrupt His Yellow Plan
The Sun does not allow
Caprices of the Atmosphere-
And even when the Snow

Heaves Balls of Specks, like Vicious Boy
Directly in His Eye-
Does not so much as turn His Head
Busy with Majesty


'Tis His to stimulate the Earth-
And magnetize the Sea-
And bind Astronomy, in place,
Yet Any passing by

Would deem Ourselves-the busier
As the Minutest Bee
That rides-emits a Thunder-
A Bomb-to justify-

To interrupt His Yellow Plan

591

To interrupt His Yellow Plan
The Sun does not allow
Caprices of the Atmosphere-
And even when the Snow

Heaves Balls of Specks, like Vicious Boy
Directly in His Eye-
Does not so much as turn His Head
Busy with Majesty


'Tis His to stimulate the Earth-
And magnetize the Sea-
And bind Astronomy, in place,
Yet Any passing by

Would deem Ourselves-the busier
As the Minutest Bee
That rides-emits a Thunder-
A Bomb-to justify-

To interrupt His Yellow Plan

591

To interrupt His Yellow Plan
The Sun does not allow
Caprices of the Atmosphere-
And even when the Snow

Heaves Balls of Specks, like Vicious Boy
Directly in His Eye-
Does not so much as turn His Head
Busy with Majesty


'Tis His to stimulate the Earth-
And magnetize the Sea-
And bind Astronomy, in place,
Yet Any passing by

Would deem Ourselves-the busier
As the Minutest Bee
That rides-emits a Thunder-
A Bomb-to justify-

'Tis not that Dying hurts us so

335

'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 due-
Accepts a better LatitudeWe-
are the Birds-that stay.

The Shrivers round Farmers' doors-
For whose reluctant Crumb-
We stipulate-till pitying Snows
Persuade our Feathers Home.

Through lane it lay—through bramble

9

Through lane it lay—through bramble—
Through clearing and through wood—
Banditti often passed us
Upon the lonely road.


The wolf came peering curious—
The owl looked puzzled down—
The serpent's satin figure
Glid stealthily along—


The tempests touched our garments—
The lightning's poinards gleamed—
Fierce from the Crag above us
The hungry Vulture screamed—


The satyr's fingers beckoned—
The valley murmured "Come"—
These were the mates—
This was the road
Those children fluttered home.

This-is the land-the Sunset washes

266

This-is the land-the Sunset washesThese-
are the Banks of the Yellow Sea-
Where it rose-or whither it rushesThese-
are the Western Mystery!

Night after Night
Her purple traffic
Strews the landing with Opal BalesMerchantmen-
poise upon HorizonsDip-
and vanish like Orioles!

This-is the land-the Sunset washes

266

This-is the land-the Sunset washesThese-
are the Banks of the Yellow Sea-
Where it rose-or whither it rushesThese-
are the Western Mystery!

Night after Night
Her purple traffic
Strews the landing with Opal BalesMerchantmen-
poise upon HorizonsDip-
and vanish like Orioles!

This is my letter to the world,

This is my letter to the world,
That never wrote to me,--

The simple news that Nature told,
With tender majesty.

Her message is committed
To hands I cannot see;

For love of her, sweet countrymen,
Judge tenderly of me!

This Bauble was preferred of Bees

805

This Bauble was preferred of Bees-
By Butterflies admired
At Heavenly-Hopeless Distances-
Was justified of Bird-

Did Noon-enamel-in Herself
Was Summer to a Score
Who only knew of Universe-
It had created Her.

This Bauble was preferred of Bees

805

This Bauble was preferred of Bees-
By Butterflies admired
At Heavenly-Hopeless Distances-
Was justified of Bird-

Did Noon-enamel-in Herself
Was Summer to a Score
Who only knew of Universe-
It had created Her.

There is another sky

2

There is another sky,
Ever serene and fair,
And there is another sunshine,
Though it be darkness there;
Never mind faded forests, Austin,
Never mind silent fields-
Here is a little forest,
Whose leaf is ever green;
Here is a brighter garden,
Where not a frost has been;
In its unfading flowers
I hear the bright bee hum:
Prithee, my brother,
Into my garden come!

There came a Wind like a Bugle

There cam a Wind like a Bugle -
It quivered through the Grass
And a Green Chill upon the Heat
So ominous did pass
We barred the Windows and the Doors
As from an Emerald Ghost -
The Doom's electric Moccasin
The very instant passed -
On a strange Mob of panting Trees
And Fences fled away
And Rivers where the Houses ran
Those looked that lived - that Day -
The Bell within the steeple wild
The flying tidings told -
How much can come
And much can go,
And yet abide the World!

There is a flower that Bees prefer

380

There is a flower that Bees prefer-
And Butterflies-desire-
To gain the Purple Democrat
The Humming Bird-aspire-

And Whatsoever Insect pass-
A Honey bear away
Proportioned to his several dearth
And her-capacity-

Her face be rounder than the Moon
And ruddier than the Gown
Or Orchis in the Pasture-
Or Rhododendron-worn-

She doth not wait for June-
Before the World be Green-
Her sturdy little Countenance
Against the Wind-be seen-

Contending with the Grass-
Near Kinsman to Herself-
For Privilege of Sod and Sun-
Sweet Litigants for Life-

And when the Hills be full-
And newer fashions blow-
Doth not retract a single spice
For pang of jealousy-

Her Public-be the Noon-
Her Providence-the Sun-
Her Progress-by the Bee-proclaimed-
In sovereign-Swerveless Tune-

The Bravest-of the HostSurrendering-
the last-
Nor even of Defeat-aware-
What cancelled by the Frost-

There is a flower that Bees prefer

380

There is a flower that Bees prefer-
And Butterflies-desire-
To gain the Purple Democrat
The Humming Bird-aspire-

And Whatsoever Insect pass-
A Honey bear away
Proportioned to his several dearth
And her-capacity-

Her face be rounder than the Moon
And ruddier than the Gown
Or Orchis in the Pasture-
Or Rhododendron-worn-

She doth not wait for June-
Before the World be Green-
Her sturdy little Countenance
Against the Wind-be seen-

Contending with the Grass-
Near Kinsman to Herself-
For Privilege of Sod and Sun-
Sweet Litigants for Life-

And when the Hills be full-
And newer fashions blow-
Doth not retract a single spice
For pang of jealousy-

Her Public-be the Noon-
Her Providence-the Sun-
Her Progress-by the Bee-proclaimed-
In sovereign-Swerveless Tune-

The Bravest-of the HostSurrendering-
the last-
Nor even of Defeat-aware-
What cancelled by the Frost-

There is a flower that Bees prefer

380

There is a flower that Bees prefer-
And Butterflies-desire-
To gain the Purple Democrat
The Humming Bird-aspire-

And Whatsoever Insect pass-
A Honey bear away
Proportioned to his several dearth
And her-capacity-

Her face be rounder than the Moon
And ruddier than the Gown
Or Orchis in the Pasture-
Or Rhododendron-worn-

She doth not wait for June-
Before the World be Green-
Her sturdy little Countenance
Against the Wind-be seen-

Contending with the Grass-
Near Kinsman to Herself-
For Privilege of Sod and Sun-
Sweet Litigants for Life-

And when the Hills be full-
And newer fashions blow-
Doth not retract a single spice
For pang of jealousy-

Her Public-be the Noon-
Her Providence-the Sun-
Her Progress-by the Bee-proclaimed-
In sovereign-Swerveless Tune-

The Bravest-of the HostSurrendering-
the last-
Nor even of Defeat-aware-
What cancelled by the Frost-

There are two Ripenings—one—of sight

332

There are two Ripenings—one—of sight—
Whose forces Spheric wind
Until the Velvet product
Drop spicy to the ground—
A homelier maturing—
A process in the Bur—
That teeth of Frosts alone disclose
In far October Air.

The Woodpecker

His bill an auger is,
His head, a cap and frill.
He laboreth at every tree,--
A worm his utmost goal.

The wind begun to rock the grass

The wind begun to rock the grass
With threatening tunes and low,--
He flung a menace at the earth,
A menace at the sky.


The leaves unhooked themselves from trees
And started all abroad;
The dust did scoop itself like hands
And throw away the road.


The wagons quickened on the streets,
The thunder hurried slow;
The lightning showed a yellow beak,
And then a livid claw.


The birds put up the bars to nests,
The cattle fled to barns;
There came one drop of giant rain,
And then, as if the hands


That held the dams had parted hold,
The waters wrecked the sky
But overlooked my father's house,
lust quartering a tree.