Ethics and Morality

'Tis true—They shut me in the Cold

538

'Tis true—They shut me in the Cold—
But then—Themselves were warm
And could not know the feeling 'twas—
Forget it—Lord—of Them—


Let not my Witness hinder Them
In Heavenly esteem—
No Paradise could be—Conferred
Through Their beloved Blame—


The Harm They did—was short—And since
Myself—who bore it—do—
Forgive Them—Even as Myself—
Or else—forgive not me—

Through the strait pass of suffering

792

Through the strait pass of suffering-
The Martyrs-even-trod.
Their feet-upon Temptations-
Their faces-upon God-

A stately-shriven-CompanyConvulsion-
playing roundHarmless-
as streaks of Meteor-
Upon a Planet's Bond-

Their faith-the everlasting troth-
Their Expectation-fair-
The Needle-to the North DegreeWades-
so-thro' polar Air!

'They Have Not Chosen Me,' He Said

'They have not chosen me,' he said,
'But I have chosen them!'
Brave—Broken hearted statement—
Uttered in Bethlehem!

I could not have told it,
But since Jesus dared—
Sovereign! Know a Daisy
They dishonor shared!

The Whole of it came not at once

762

The Whole of it came not at once'
Twas Murder by degrees-
A Thrust-and then for Life a chance-
The Bliss to cauterize-

The Cat reprieves the Mouse
She eases from her teeth
Just long enough for Hope to tease-
Then mashes it to death


'Tis Life's award-to die-
Contenteder if once-
Than dying half-then rallying
For consciouser Eclipse-

The Service without Hope

779

The Service without Hope-
Is tenderest, I think-
Because 'tis unsustained
By stint-Rewarded Work-

Has impetus of Gain-
And impetus of Goal-
There is no Diligence like that
That knows not an Until-

The Province of the Saved

539

The Province of the Saved
Should be the Art-To save-
Through Skill obtained in Themselves-
The Science of the Grave

No Man can understand
But He that hath endured
The Dissolution-in Himself-
That Man-be qualified

To qualify Despair
To Those who failing new-
Mistake Defeat for Death-Each time-
Till acclimated-to-

The Judge is like the Owl

699

The Judge is like the OwlI've
heard my Father tell-
And Owls do build in Oaks-
So here's an Amber Sill-

That slanted in my Path-
When going to the Barn-
And if it serve You for a House-
Itself is not in vain-

About the price-'tis small-
I only ask a Tune
At Midnight-Let the Owl select
His favorite Refrain.

The Black Berry—wears a Thorn in his side

The Black Berry—wears a Thorn in his side—
But no Man heard Him cry—
He offers His Berry, just the same
To Partridge—and to Boy—


He sometimes holds upon the Fence—
Or struggles to a Tree—
Or clasps a Rock, with both His Hands—
But not for Sympathy—


We—tell a Hurt—to cool it—
This Mourner—to the Sky
A little further reaches—instead—
Brave Black Berry—

The Bible is an antique Volume

1545

The Bible is an antique Volume-
Written by faded men
At the suggestion of Holy SpectresSubjects-
BethlehemEden-
the ancient HomesteadSatan-
the BrigadierJudas-
the Great DefaulterDavid-
the TroubadorSin-
a distinguished Precipice
Others must resist-
Boys that "believe" are very lonesome-
Other Boys are "lost"-
Had but the Tale a warbling Teller-
All the Boys would come-
Orpheus' Sermon captivated-
It did not condemn-

That after Horror—that 'twas us

286

That after Horror—that 'twas us—
That passed the mouldering Pier—
Just as the Granite Crumb let go—
Our Savior, by a Hair—


A second more, had dropped too deep
For Fisherman to plumb—
The very profile of the Thought
Puts Recollection numb—


The possibility—to pass
Without a Moment's Bell—
Into Conjecture's presence—
Is like a Face of Steel—
That suddenly looks into ours
With a metallic grin—
The Cordiality of Death—
Who drills his Welcome in—

Taking up the fair Ideal

428

Taking up the fair Ideal,
Just to cast her down
When a fracture-we discover-
Or a splintered Crown-
Makes the Heavens portable-
And the Gods-a lieDoubtless-"
Adam"-scowled at Eden-
For his perjury!

Cherishing-our pool Ideal-
Till in purer dress-
We behold her-glorifiedComforts-
search-like this-
Till the broken creatures-
We adored-for wholeStains-
all washedTransfigured-
mended-
Meet us-with a smile-

Smiling back from Coronation

385

Smiling back from Coronation
May be Luxury-
On the Heads that started with usBeing's
Peasantry-

Recognizing in Procession
Ones We former knew-
When Ourselves were also dusty-
Centuries ago-

Had the Triumph no Conviction
Of how many beStimulated-
by the Contrast-
Unto Misery-

She rose to His Requirement

732

She rose to His Requirement-dropt
The Playthings of Her Life
To take the honorable Work
Of Woman, and of Wife-


If ought She missed in Her new Day,
Of Amplitude, or Awe-
Or first Prospective-Or the Gold
In using, wear away,


It lay unmentioned-as the Sea
Develop Pearl, and Weed,
But only to Himself-be known
The Fathoms they abide-

She dealt her pretty words like Blades

479

She dealt her pretty words like Blades-
How glittering they shone-
And every One unbared a Nerve
Or wantoned with a Bone-

She never deemed-she hurtThat-
is not Steel's Affair-
A vulgar grimace in the Flesh-
How ill the Creatures bear-

To Ache is human-not polite-
The Film upon the eye
Mortality's old Custom-
Just locking up-to Die.

Renunciation


Renunciation -- is a piercing Virtue --
The letting go
A Presence -- for an Expectation --
Not now --
The putting out of Eyes --
Just Sunrise --
Lest Day -Day's
Great Progenitor --
Outvie
Renunciation -- is the Choosing
Against itself --
Itself to justify
Unto itself --
When larger function --
Make that appear --
Smaller -- that Covered Vision -- Here --

Remorse


Remorse -- is Memory -- awake --
Her Parties all astir --
A Presence of Departed Acts --
At window -- and at Door --

Its Past -- set down before the Soul
And lighted with a Match --
Perusal -- to facilitate --
And help Belief to stretch --

Remorse is cureless -- the Disease
Not even God -- can heal --
For 'tis His institution -- and
The Adequate of Hell --

Read—Sweet—how others—strove

260

Read—Sweet—how others—strove—
Till we—are stouter—
What they—renounced—
Till we—are less afraid—
How many times they—bore the faithful witness—
Till we—are helped—
As if a Kingdom—cared!


Read then—of faith—
That shone above the fagot—
Clear strains of Hymn
The River could not drown—
Brave names of Men—
And Celestial Women—
Passed out—of Record
Into—Renown!

Over the fence

251

Over the fenceStrawberries-
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 BoyHe'd-
climb-if He could!

Our little Kinsmen—after Rain

885

Our little Kinsmen—after Rain
In plenty may be seen,
A Pink and Pulpy multitude
The tepid Ground upon.


A needless life, it seemed to me
Until a little Bird
As to a Hospitality
Advanced and breakfasted.


As I of He, so God of Me
I pondered, may have judged,
And left the little Angle Worm
With Modesties enlarged.

One dignity delays for all

98

One dignity delays for all-
One mitred Afternoon-
None can avoid this purple-
None evade this Crown!


Coach, it insures, and footmen-
Chamber, and state, and throng-
Bells, also, in the village
As we ride grand along!


What dignified Attendants!
What service when we pause!
How loyally at parting
Their hundred hats they raise!


Her pomp surpassing ermine
When simple You, and I,
Present our meek escutheon
And claim the rank to die!

On a Columnar Self

789

On a Columnar Self-
How ample to rely
In Tumult-or Extremity-
How good the Certainty

That Lever cannot pry-
And Wedge cannot divide
Conviction-That Granitic Base-
Though None be on our Side-

Suffice Us-for a CrowdOurself-
and Rectitude-
And that Assembly-not far off
From furthest Spirit-God-

Not that We did, shall be the test

823

Not that We did, shall be the test
When Act and Will are done
But what Our Lord infers We would
Had We diviner been-

Must be a Woe

571

Must be a Woe-
A loss or so-
To bend the eye
Best Beauty's way


But-once aslant
It notes Delight
As difficult
As Stalactite

A Common Bliss
Were had for less-
The price-is
Even as the Grace-

Our lord-thought no
Extravagance
To pay-a Cross-

Much Madness is divinest Sense

Much Madness is divinest Sense -
To a discerning Eye -
Much Sense - the starkest Madness `
Tis the Majority
In this, as All, prevail -
Assent - and you are sane -
Demur - you`re straightaway dangerous -
And handled with a Chain -