There's a certain Slant of light,
Winter Afternoons -
That oppresses, like the Heft
Of Cathedral Tunes -
Heavenly Hurt, it gives us -
We can find no scar,
But internal difference,
Where the Meanings, are -
None may teach it - Any -
'Tis the Seal Despair -
An imperial affliction
Sent us of the Air -
When it comes, the Landscape listens -
Shadows - hold their breath -
When it goes, 'tis like the Distance
On the look of Death.
Delight is as the flight -
Or in the Ratio of it,
As the Schools would say -
The Rainbow's way -
A Skein
Flung colored, after Rain,
Would suit as bright,
Except that flight
Were Aliment -
"If it would last"
I asked the East,
When that Bent Stripe
Struck up my childish
Firmament -
And I, for glee,
Took Rainbows, as the common way,
And empty Skies
The Eccentricity -
And so with Lives -
And so with Butterflies -
Seen magic - through the fright
That they will cheat the sight -
And Dower latitudes far on -
Some sudden morn -
Our portion - in the fashion -
Done.
If I'm lost - now -
That I was found -
Shall still my transport be -
That once - on me - those Jasper Gates
Blazed open - suddenly -
That in my awkward - gazing - face -
The Angels - softly peered -
And touched me with their fleeces,
Almost as if they cared -
I'm banished - now - you know it -
How foreign that can be -
You'll know - Sir - when the Savior's face
Turns so - away from you.
To die - takes just a little while -
They say it doesn't hurt -
It's only fainter - by degrees -
And then - it's out of sight -
A darker Ribbon - for a Day -
A Crape upon the Hat -
And then the pretty sunshine comes -
And helps us to forget -
The absent - mystic - creature -
That but for love of us -
Had gone to sleep - that soundest time -
Without the weariness.
Hope is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -
I've heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of Me.
You see I cannot see - your lifetime -
I must guess -
How many times it ache for me - today - Confess -
How many times for my far sake
The brave eyes film -
But I guess guessing hurts -
Mine - got so dim!
Too vague - the face -
My own - so patient - covers -
Too far - the strength -
My timidness enfolds -
Haunting the Heart -
Like her translated faces -
Teasing the want -
It - only - can suffice!
I can wade Grief -
Whole Pools of it -
I'm used to that -
But the least push of Joy
Breaks up my feet -
And I tip - drunken -
Let no Pebble - smile -
'Twas the New Liquor -
That was all!
Power is only Pain -
Stranded, thro' Discipline,
Till Weights - will hang -
Give Balm - to Giants -
And they'll wilt, like Men -
Give Himmaleh -
They'll Carry - Him!
Over the fence -
Strawberries - grow -
Over the fence -
I could climb - if I tried, I know -
Berries are nice!
But - if I stained my Apron -
God would certainly scold!
Oh, dear, - I guess if He were a Boy -
He'd - climb - if He could!
Notti Selvagge - Notti Selvagge!
Fossi io con te
Notti Selvagge sarebbero
La nostra voluttà!
Inutili - i Venti -
A un Cuore in porto -
Via il Compasso -
Via la Mappa!
Vogare nell'Eden -
Ah, il Mare!
Potessi soltanto ormeggiare - Stanotte -
In Te!
I shall keep singing!
Birds will pass me
On their way to Yellower Climes -
Each - with a Robin's expectation -
I - with my Redbreast -
And my Rhymes -
Late - when I take my place in summer -
But - I shall bring a fuller tune -
Vespers - are sweeter than Matins - Signor -
Morning - only the seed of Noon.