What if I say I shall not wait!
What if I burst the fleshly Gate -
And pass escaped - to thee!
What if I file this Mortal - off -
See where it hurt me - That's enough -
And wade in Liberty!
They cannot take me - any more!
Dungeons can call - and Guns implore
Unmeaning - now - to me -
As laughter - was - an hour ago -
Or Laces - or a Travelling Show -
Or who died - yesterday!
Many a phrase has the English language -
I have heard but one -
Low as the laughter of the Cricket,
Loud, as the Thunder's Tongue -
Murmuring, like old Caspian Choirs,
When the Tide's a' lull -
Saying itself in new inflection -
Like a Whippowil -
Breaking in bright Orthography
On my simple sleep -
Thundering it's Prospective -
Till I stir, and weep -
Not for the Sorrow, done me -
But the push of Joy -
Say it again, Saxon!
Hush - Only to me!
Doubt Me! My Dim Companion!
Why, God, would be content
With but a fraction of the Life -
Poured thee, without a stint -
The whole of me - forever -
What more the Woman can,
Say quick, that I may dower thee
With last Delight I own!
It cannot be my Spirit -
For that was thine, before -
I ceded all of Dust I knew -
What Opulence the more
Had I - a freckled Maiden,
Whose farthest of Degree,
Was - that she might -
Some distant Heaven,
Dwell timidly, with thee!
Sift her, from Brow to Barefoot!
Strain till your last Surmise -
Drop, like a Tapestry, away,
Before the Fire's Eyes -
Winnow her finest fondness -
But hallow just the snow
Intact, in Everlasting flake -
Oh, Caviler, for you!
The only Ghost I ever saw
Was dressed in Mechlin - so -
He had no sandal on his foot -
And stepped like flakes of snow -
His Gait - was soundless, like a Bird -
But rapid - like the Roe -
His fashions, quaint, Mosaic -
Or haply, Mistletoe -
His conversation - seldom -
His laughter, like the Breeze -
That dies away in Dimples
Among the pensive Trees -
Our interview - was transient -
Of me, himself was shy -
And God forbid I look behind -
Since that appalling Day!
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?
I breathed enough to take the Trick -
And now, removed from Air -
I simulate the Breath, so well -
That One, to be quite sure -
The Lungs are stirless - must descend
Among the Cunning Cells -
And touch the Pantomime - Himself,
How cool - the Bellows feels.
A solemn thing - it was - I said -
A woman - white - to be -
And wear - if God should count me fit -
Her blameless mystery -
A hallowed thing - to drop a life
Into the purple well -
Too plummetless - that it return -
Eternity - until -
I pondered how the bliss would look -
And would it feel as big -
When I could take it in my hand -
As glimmering - seen - through fog -
And then - the size of this "small" life -
The Sages - call it small -
Swelled - like Horizons - in my vest -
And I sneered - softly - "small"!
One Life of so much Consequence!
Yet I - for it - would pay -
My Soul's entire income -
In ceaseless - salary -
One Pearl - to me - so signal -
That I would instant dive -
Although - I knew - to take it -
Would cost me - just a life!
The Sea is full - I know it!
That - does not blur my Gem!
It burns - distinct from all the row -
Intact - in Diadem!
The life is thick - I know it!
Yet - not so dense a crowd -
But Monarchs - are perceptible -
Far down the dustiest Road!
Bound - a Trouble - and Lives will bear it -
Circumscription - enables Wo -
Still to anticipate - Were no limit -
Who were sufficient to Misery?
State it the Ages - to a cipher -
And it will ache - contented on -
Sing, at it's pain, as any Workman -
Notching the fall of the Even Sun.
Bound - a trouble -
And lives can bear it!
Limit - how deep a bleeding go!
So - many - drops - of vital scarlet -
Deal with the soul
As with Algebra!
Tell it the Ages - to a cypher -
And it will ache - contented - on -
Sing - at it's pain - as any Workman -
Notching the fall of the Even Sun!