Poetessa, nato venerdì 10 dicembre 1830 a Amherst, Massachusetts (USA - Stati Uniti d'America), morto sabato 15 maggio 1886 a Amherst, Massachusetts (USA - Stati Uniti d'America)
You know that Portrait in the Moon - So tell me Who 'tis like - The very Brow - the stooping eyes - A-fog for - Say - Whose Sake? The very Pattern of the Cheek - It varies - in the Chin - But - Ishmael - since we met - 'tis long - And fashions - intervene -
When Moon's at full - 'Tis Thou - I say - My lips just hold the name - When crescent - Thou art worn - I note - But - there - the Golden Same -
And when - Some Night - Bold - slashing Clouds Cut Thee away from Me - That's easier - than the other film That glazes Holiday.
Better - than Music! For I - who heard it - I was used - to the Birds - before - This - was different - 'Twas Translation - Of all tunes I knew - and more - 'Twas'nt contained - like other stanza - No one could play it - the second time - But the Composer - perfect Mozart - Perish with him - that keyless Rhyme!
So - Children - told how Brooks in Eden - Bubbled a better - melody - Quaintly infer - Eve's great surrender - Urging the feet - that would - not - fly -
Children - matured - are wiser - mostly - Eden - a legend - dimly told - Eve - and the Anguish - Grandame's story - But - I was telling a tune - I heard -
Not such a strain - the Church - baptizes - When the last Saint - goes up the Aisles - Not such a stanza splits the silence - When the Redemption strikes her Bells -
Let me not spill - it's smallest cadence - Humming - for promise - when alone - Humming - until my faint Rehearsal - Drop into tune - around the Throne.
At least - to pray - is left - is left - Oh Jesus - in the Air - I know not which thy chamber is - I'm knocking - everywhere - Thou settest Earthquake in the South - And Maelstrom, in the Sea - Say, Jesus Christ of Nazareth - Hast thou no Arm for Me?
This World is not Conclusion. A sequel stands beyond - Invisible, as Music - But positive, as Sound - It beckons, and it baffles - Philosophy, dont know - And through a Riddle, at the last - Sagacity, must go - To guess it, puzzles scholars - To gain it, Men have borne Contempt of Generations And Crucifixion, shown - Faith slips - and laughs, and rallies - Blushes, if any see - Plucks at a twig of Evidence - And asks a Vane, the way - Much Gesture, from the Pulpit - Strong Hallelujahs roll - Narcotics cannot still the Tooth That nibbles at the soul.
Had I presumed to hope - The loss had been to Me A Value - for the Greatness'Sake - As Giants - gone away - Had I presumed to gain A Favor so remote - The failure but confirm the Grace In further Infinite -
'Tis failure - not of Hope - But resolute Despair - Advancing on Celestial Lists - With faint - Terrestrial power -
'Tis Honor - though I die - For That no Man obtain Till He be justified by Death - This - is the Second Gain.
Endow the Living - with the Tears - You squander on the Dead, And They were Men and Women - now, Around Your Fireside - Instead of Passive Creatures, Denied the Cherishing Till They - the Cherishing deny - With Death's Etherial Scorn. Donate ai Vivi - le Lacrime - Che sprecate per i Morti, Ed Essi sarebbero Uomini e Donne - allora, Intorno al Vostro Focolare - Invece di Passive Creature, Negate alla Tenerezza Fino a che Loro - la Tenerezza neghino - Con l'Etereo Scherno della Morte.
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 Boddice - 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.
'Twas warm - at first - like Us - Until there crept upon A Chill - like frost upon a Glass - Till all the scene - be gone. The Forehead copied Stone - The Fingers grew too cold To ache - and like a Skater's Brook - The busy eyes - congealed -
It straightened - that was all - It crowded Cold to Cold - It multiplied indifference - As Pride were all it could -
And even when with Cords - 'Twas lowered, like a Freight - It made no Signal, nor demurred, But dropped like Adamant.
Her sweet Weight on my Heart a Night Had scarcely deigned to lie - When, stirring, for Belief's delight, My Bride had slipped away - If 'twas a Dream - made solid - just The Heaven to confirm - Or if Myself were dreamed of Her - The power to presume -
With Him remain - who unto Me - Gave - even as to All - A Fiction superseding Faith - By so much - as 'twas real.