Nature and Elements

I'm sorry for the Dead—Today

529

I'm sorry for the Dead—Today—
It's such congenial times
Old Neighbors have at fences—
It's time o' year for Hay.


And Broad—Sunburned Acquaintance
Discourse between the Toil—
And laugh, a homely species
That makes the Fences smile—


It seems so straight to lie away
From all of the noise of Fields—
The Busy Carts—the fragrant Cocks—
The Mower's Metre—Steals—


A Trouble lest they're homesick—
Those Farmers—and their Wives—
Set separate from the Farming—
And all the Neighbors' lives—


A Wonder if the Sepulchre
Don't feel a lonesome way—
When Men—and Boys—and Carts—and June,
Go down the Fields to "Hay"—

I tend my flowers for thee

339

I tend my flowers for thee-
Bright Absentee!
My Fuchsia's Coral Seams
Rip-while the Sower-dreams


Geraniums-tint-and spot-
Low Daisies-dot-
My Cactus-splits her Beard
To show her throat


Carnations-tip their spice-
And Bees-pick up-
A Hyacinth-I hid-
Puts out a Ruffled Head-
And odors fall
From flasks-so small-
You marvel how they held-

Globe Roses-break their satin glake-
Upon my Garden floorYet-
thou-not there-
I had as lief they bore
No Crimson-more-

Thy flower-be gay-
Her Lord-away!
It ill becometh meI'll
dwell in Calyx-Gray-
How modestly-alway-
Thy Daisy-
Draped for thee!

I started Early - Took my Dog

I started Early - Took my Dog -
And visited the Sea -
The Mermaids in the Basement
Came out to look at me -

And Frigates - in the Upper Floor
Extended Hempen Hands -
Presuming Me to be a Mouse -
Aground - upon the Sands -

But no Man moved Me - till the Tide
Went past my simple Shoe -
And past my Apron - and my Belt
And past my Bodice - too -

And made as He would eat me up -
As wholly as a Dew
Upon a Dandelion's Sleeve -
And then - I started - too -

And He - He followed - close behind -
I felt His Silver Heel
Upon my Ankle - Then my Shoes
Would overflow with Pearl -

Until We met the Solid Town -
No One He seemed to know -
And bowing - with a Mighty look -
At me - The Sea withdrew -

I send Two Sunsets

308

I send Two Sunsets-
Day and I-in competition ran-
I finished Two-and several Stars-
While He-was making One-

His own was ampler-but as I
Was saying to a friendMine-
is the more convenient
To Carry in the Hand-

I robbed the Woods

41

I robbed the Woods-
The trusting Woods.
The unsuspecting Trees
Brought out their Burs and mosses
My fantasy to please.
I scanned their trinkets curious-I grasped-I bore away-
What will the solemn Hemlock-
What will the Oak tree say?

I robbed the Woods

41

I robbed the Woods-
The trusting Woods.
The unsuspecting Trees
Brought out their Burs and mosses
My fantasy to please.
I scanned their trinkets curious-I grasped-I bore away-
What will the solemn Hemlock-
What will the Oak tree say?

I know some lonely Houses off the Road

289

I know some lonely Houses off the Road
A Robber'd like the look of-
Wooden barred,
And Windows hanging low,
Inviting to-
A Portico,
Where two could creepOne-
hand the Tools-
The other peep-
To make sure All's Asleep-
Old fashioned eyes-
Not easy to surprise!


How orderly the Kitchen'd look, by night,
With just a Clock-
But they could gag the Tick-
And Mice won't bark-
And so the Walls-don't tellNone-
will-


A pair of Spectacles ajar just stir-
An Almanac's aware-
Was it the Mat-winked,
Or a Nervous Star?
The Moon-slides down the stair,
To see who's there!


There's plunder-where-
Tankard, or SpoonEarring-
or Stone-
A Watch-Some Ancient Brooch
To match the Grandmama-
Staid sleeping-there


Day-rattles-too
Stealth's-slow-
The Sun has got as far
As the third Sycamore-
Screams Chanticleer
"Who's there"?


And Echoes-Trains away,
Sneer-"Where"!
While the old Couple, just astir,
Fancy the Sunrise-left the door ajar!

I know a place where summer strives

I know a place where summer strives
With such a practised frost,
She each year leads her daisies back,
Recording briefly, 'Lost.'


But when the south wind stirs the pools
And struggles in the lanes,
Her heart misgives her for her vow,
And she pours soft refrains


Into the lap of adamant,
And spices, and the dew,
That stiffens quietly to quartz
Upon her amber shoe.

I had been hungry all the years-

I had been hungry all the years-
My noon had come, to dine-
I, trembling, drew the table near
And touched the curious wine.


'T was this on tables I had seen
When turning, hungry, lone,
I looked in windows, for the wealth
I could not hope to own.


I did not know the ample bread,
'T was so unlike the crumb
The birds and I had often shared
In Nature's dining-room.


The plenty hurt me, 't was so new,--
Myself felt ill and odd,
As berry of a mountain bush
Transplanted to the road.


Nor was I hungry; so I found
That hunger was a way
Of persons outside windows,
The entering takes away.

How the Waters closed above Him

923

How the Waters closed above Him
We shall never know-
How He stretched His Anguish to us
That-is covered too-

Spreads the Pond Her Base of Lilies
Bold above the Boy
Whose unclaimed Hat and Jacket
Sum the History-

How happy is the little Stone

1510

How happy is the little Stone
That rambles in the Road alone,
And doesn't care about Careers
And Exigencies never fears-
Whose Coat of elemental Brown
A passing Universe put on,
And independent as the Sun
Associates or glows alone,
Fulfilling absolute Decree
In casual simplicity-

His Bill an Auger is

1034

His Bill an Auger is,
His Head, a Cap and Frill.
He laboreth at every Tree
A Worm, His utmost Goal.

Heaven has different Signs—to me

"Heaven" has different Signs—to me—
Sometimes, I think that Noon
Is but a symbol of the Place—
And when again, at Dawn,


A mighty look runs round the World
And settles in the Hills—
An Awe if it should be like that
Upon the Ignorance steals—


The Orchard, when the Sun is on—
The Triumph of the Birds
When they together Victory make—
Some Carnivals of Clouds—


The Rapture of a finished Day—
Returning to the West—
All these—remind us of the place
That Men call "paradise"—


Itself be fairer—we suppose—
But how Ourself, shall be
Adorned, for a Superior Grace—
Not yet, our eyes can see—

Heaven has different Signs—to me

"Heaven" has different Signs—to me—
Sometimes, I think that Noon
Is but a symbol of the Place—
And when again, at Dawn,


A mighty look runs round the World
And settles in the Hills—
An Awe if it should be like that
Upon the Ignorance steals—


The Orchard, when the Sun is on—
The Triumph of the Birds
When they together Victory make—
Some Carnivals of Clouds—


The Rapture of a finished Day—
Returning to the West—
All these—remind us of the place
That Men call "paradise"—


Itself be fairer—we suppose—
But how Ourself, shall be
Adorned, for a Superior Grace—
Not yet, our eyes can see—

Good to hide, and hear 'em hunt!

842

Good to hide, and hear 'em hunt!
Better, to be found,
If one care to, that is,
The Fox fits the Hound-


Good to know, and not tell,
Best, to know and tell,
Can one find the rare Ear
Not too dull-

Glowing is her Bonnet

72

Glowing is her Bonnet,
Glowing is her Cheek,
Glowing is her Kirtle,
Yet she cannot speak.

Better as the Daisy
From the Summer hill
Vanish unrecorded
Save by tearful rill-

Save by loving sunrise
Looking for her face.
Save by feet unnumbered
Pausing at the place.

From Cocoon forth a Butterfly

354

From Cocoon forth a Butterfly
As Lady from her Door
Emerged-a Summer Afternoon-
Repairing Everywhere-

Without Design-that I could trace
Except to stray abroad
On Miscellaneous Enterprise
The Clovers-understood-

Her pretty Parasol be seen
Contracting in a Field
Where Men made Hay-
Then struggling hard
With an opposing Cloud-

Where Parties-Phantom as Herself-
To Nowhere-seemed to go
In purposeless Circumference-
As 'twere a Tropic Show-

And notwithstanding Bee-that worked-
And Flower-that zealous blew-
This Audience of Idleness
Disdained them, from the Sky-

Till Sundown crept-a steady Tide-
And Men that made the Hay-
And Afternoon-and ButterflyExtinguished-
in the Sea-

Frequently the wood are pink

6

Frequently the wood are pink-
Frequently are brown.
Frequently the hills undress
Behind my native town.
Oft a head is crested
I was wont to see-
And as oft a cranny
Where it used to be-
And the Earth- they tell me-
On its Axis turned!
Wonderful Rotation!
By but twelve performed!

Frequently the wood are pink

6

Frequently the wood are pink-
Frequently are brown.
Frequently the hills undress
Behind my native town.
Oft a head is crested
I was wont to see-
And as oft a cranny
Where it used to be-
And the Earth- they tell me-
On its Axis turned!
Wonderful Rotation!
By but twelve performed!

Flowers—Well—if anybody

137

Flowers—Well—if anybody
Can the ecstasy define—
Half a transport—half a trouble—
With which flowers humble men:
Anybody find the fountain
From which floods so contra flow—
I will give him all the Daisies
Which upon the hillside blow.


Too much pathos in their faces
For a simple breast like mine—
Butterflies from St. Domingo
Cruising round the purple line—
Have a system of aesthetics—
Far superior to mine.

Flowers—Well—if anybody

137

Flowers—Well—if anybody
Can the ecstasy define—
Half a transport—half a trouble—
With which flowers humble men:
Anybody find the fountain
From which floods so contra flow—
I will give him all the Daisies
Which upon the hillside blow.


Too much pathos in their faces
For a simple breast like mine—
Butterflies from St. Domingo
Cruising round the purple line—
Have a system of aesthetics—
Far superior to mine.

Escaping backward to perceive

867

Escaping backward to perceive
The Sea upon our place-
Escaping forward, to confront
His glittering Embrace-

Retreating up, a Billow's height
Retreating blinded down
Our undermining feet to meet
Instructs to the Divine.

Deprived of other Banquet

773

Deprived of other Banquet,
I entertained Myself-
At first-a scant nutrition-
An insufficient Loaf-

But grown by slender addings
To so esteemed a size
'Tis sumptuous enough for me-
And almost to suffice

A Robin's famine able-
Red Pilgrim, He and I-
A Berry from our table
Reserve-for charity-

Civilization-spurns-the Leopard!

492

Civilization-spurns-the Leopard!
Was the Leopard-bold?
Deserts-never rebuked her SatinEthiop-
her GoldTawny-
her Customs-
She was ConsciousSpotted-
her Dun Gown-
This was the Leopard's nature-SignorNeed-
a keeper-frown?

Pity-the Pard-that left her AsiaMemories-
of Palm-
Cannot be stifled-with Narcotic-
Nor suppressed-with Balm-