Others

Her Sweet turn to leave the Homestead

649

Her Sweet turn to leave the Homestead
Came the Darker WayCarriages-
Be Sure-and Guests-too-
But for Holiday

'Tis more pitiful Endeavor
Than did Loaded Sea
O'er the Curls attempt to caper
It had cast away-

Never Bride had such Assembling-
Never kinsmen kneeled
To salute so fair a Forehead-
Garland be indeed-

Fitter Feet-of Her before us-
Than whatever Brow
Art of Snow-or Trick of Lily
Possibly bestow

Of Her Father-Whoso ask Her-
He shall seek as high
As the Palm-that serve the Desert-
To obtain the Sky


Distance-be Her only Motion-
If 'tis Nay-or YesAcquiescence-
or Demurral-
Whosoever guess


He-must pass the Crystal Angle
That obscure Her faceHe-
must have achieved in person
Equal Paradise-

Her-"last Poems"

312

Her-"last Poems"Poets-
endedSilver-
perished-with her Tongue-
Not on Record-bubbled other,
Flute-or Woman-
So divine-
Not unto its Summer-Morning
Robin-uttered Half the Tune-
Gushed too free for the Adoring-
From the Anglo-FlorentineLate-
the Praise'
Tis dull-conferring
On the Head too High to CrownDiadem-
or Ducal Showing-
Be its Grave-sufficient signNought-
that We-No Poet's KinsmanSuffocate-
with easy woe-
What, and if, Ourself a Bridegroom-
Put Her down-in Italy?

Her-"last Poems"

312

Her-"last Poems"Poets-
endedSilver-
perished-with her Tongue-
Not on Record-bubbled other,
Flute-or Woman-
So divine-
Not unto its Summer-Morning
Robin-uttered Half the Tune-
Gushed too free for the Adoring-
From the Anglo-FlorentineLate-
the Praise'
Tis dull-conferring
On the Head too High to CrownDiadem-
or Ducal Showing-
Be its Grave-sufficient signNought-
that We-No Poet's KinsmanSuffocate-
with easy woe-
What, and if, Ourself a Bridegroom-
Put Her down-in Italy?

Her-"last Poems"

312

Her-"last Poems"Poets-
endedSilver-
perished-with her Tongue-
Not on Record-bubbled other,
Flute-or Woman-
So divine-
Not unto its Summer-Morning
Robin-uttered Half the Tune-
Gushed too free for the Adoring-
From the Anglo-FlorentineLate-
the Praise'
Tis dull-conferring
On the Head too High to CrownDiadem-
or Ducal Showing-
Be its Grave-sufficient signNought-
that We-No Poet's KinsmanSuffocate-
with easy woe-
What, and if, Ourself a Bridegroom-
Put Her down-in Italy?

Her Grace is all she has


810

Her Grace is all she has-
And that, so least displays-
One Art to recognize, must be,
Another Art, to praise.

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—

Heart, We Will Forget Him

Heart, we will forget him,
You and I, tonight!
You must forget the warmth he gave,
I will forget the light.
When you have done pray tell me,
Then I, my thoughts, will dim.
Haste! ‘lest while you’re lagging
I may remember him!

Heart! We will forget him!

47

Heart! We will forget him!
You and I-tonight!
You may forget the warmth he gave-
I will forget the light!


When you have done, pray tell me
That I may straight begin!
Haste! lest while you're lagging
I remember him!

He put the Belt around my life

273

He put the Belt around my life
I heard the Buckle snap-
And turned away, imperial,
My Lifetime folding up-
Deliberate, as a Duke would do
A Kingdom's Title Deed-
Henceforth, a Dedicated sort-
A Member of the Cloud.

Yet not too far to come at call-
And do the little Toils
That make the Circuit of the Rest-
And deal occasional smiles
To lives that stoop to notice mine-
And kindly ask it in-
Whose invitation, know you not
For Whom I must decline?

He found my Being—set it up

603

He found my Being—set it up—
Adjusted it to place—
Then carved his name—upon it—
And bade it to the East


Be faithful—in his absence—
And he would come again—
With Equipage of Amber—
That time—to take it Home—

He fumbles at your spirit

He fumbles at your spirit
As players at the keys
Before they drop full music on;
He stuns you by degrees,

Prepares your brittle substance
For the ethereal blow,
By fainter hammers, further heard,
Then nearer, then so slow

Your breath has time to straighten,
Your brain to bubble cool, --
Deals one imperial thunderbolt
That scalps your naked soul.

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-

God permit industrious angels

God permit industrious angels
Afternoons to play.
I met one, -- forgot my school-mates,
All, for him, straightaway.


God calls home the angels promptly
At the setting sun;
I missed mine. How dreary marbles,
After playing the Crown!

God is a distant—stately Lover

357

God is a distant—stately Lover—
Woos, as He states us—by His Son—
Verily, a Vicarious Courtship—
"Miles", and "Priscilla", were such an One—


But, lest the Soul—like fair "Priscilla"
Choose the Envoy—and spurn the Groom—
Vouches, with hyperbolic archness—
"Miles", and "John Alden" were Synonym—

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.

Garland for Queens, may be

34

Garland for Queens, may beLaurels-
for rare degree
Of soul or sword.
Ah-but remembering meAh-
but remembering thee-
Nature in chivalry-
Nature in charity-
Nature in equity-
This Rose ordained!

Garland for Queens, may be

34

Garland for Queens, may beLaurels-
for rare degree
Of soul or sword.
Ah-but remembering meAh-
but remembering thee-
Nature in chivalry-
Nature in charity-
Nature in equity-
This Rose ordained!

Given in Marriage unto Thee

817

Given in Marriage unto Thee
Oh thou Celestial Host-
Bride of the Father and the Son
Bride of the Holy Ghost.

Other Betrothal shall dissolve-
Wedlock of Will, decay-
Only the Keeper of this Ring
Conquer Mortality-

Forget! The lady with the Amulet

438

Forget! The lady with the Amulet
Forget she wore it at her Heart
Because she breathed against
Was Treason twixt?

Deny! Did Rose her Bee-
For Privilege of Play
Or Wile of Butterfly
Or Opportunity-Her Lord away?

The lady with the Amulet-will face-
The Bee-in Mausoleum laid-
Discard his Bride-
But longer than the little Rill-
That cooled the Forehead of the Hill-
While Other-went the Sea to fill-
And Other-went to turn the MillI'll
do thy Will-

Forever at His side to walk

246

Forever at His side to walk-
The smaller of the two!
Brain of His Brain-
Blood of His Blood-
Two lives-One Being-now-

Forever of His fate to taste-
If grief-the largest part-
If joy-to put my piece away
For that beloved Heart-

All life-to know each other-
Whom we can never learn-
And bye and bye-a Change-
Called Heaven-
Rapt Neighborhoods of Men-
Just finding out-what puzzled us-
Without the lexicon!

For largest Woman's Hearth I knew

309

For largest Woman's Hearth I knew'
Tis little I can do-
And yet the largest Woman's Heart
Could hold an Arrow-too-
And so, instructed by my own,
I tenderer, turn Me to.

For each ecstatic instant

For each ecstatic instant
We must an anguish pay
In keen and quivering ratio
To the ectasty.


For each beloved hour
Sharp pittances of years,
Bitter contested farthings
And coffers heaped with tears.

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.