Consciousness and Self-Knowledge

The Day that I was crowned

356

The Day that I was crowned
Was like the other Days-
Until the Coronation came-
And then-'twas Otherwise-

As Carbon in the Coal
And Carbon in the Gem
Are One-and yet the former
Were dull for Diadem-

I rose, and all was plain-
But when the Day declined
Myself and It, in Majesty
Were equally-adorned-

The Grace that I-was chose-
To Me-surpassed the Crown
That was the Witness for the Grace'
Twas even that 'twas Mine-

The Chemical conviction

954

The Chemical conviction
That Nought be lost
Enable in Disaster
My fractured Trust-

The Faces of the Atoms
If I shall see
How more the Finished Creatures
Departed me!

The Brain—is wider than the Sky

632

The Brain—is wider than the Sky—
For—put them side by side—
The one the other will contain
With ease—and You—beside—


The Brain is deeper than the sea—
For—hold them—Blue to Blue—
The one the other will absorb—
As Sponges—Buckets—do—


The Brain is just the weight of God—
For—Heft them—Pound for Pound—
And they will differ—if they do—
As Syllable from Sound—

The Brain-is wider than the Sky

632

The Brain-is wider than the SkyFor-
put them side by side-
The one the other will contain
With ease-and You-beside-

The Brain is deeper than the seaFor-
hold them-Blue to Blue-
The one the other will absorb-
As Sponges-Buckets-do-

The Brain is just the weight of GodFor-
Heft them-Pound for Pound-
And they will differ-if they do-
As Syllable from Sound-

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-

Teach Him—When He makes the names

227

Teach Him—When He makes the names—
Such an one—to say—
On his babbling—Berry—lips—
As should sound—to me—
Were my Ear—as near his nest—
As my thought—today—
As should sound—
"Forbid us not"—
Some like "Emily."

Speech—is a prank of Parliament—

"Speech"—is a prank of Parliament—
"Tears"—is a trick of the nerve—
But the Heart with the heaviest freight on—
Doesn't—always—move—

Soto! Explore thyself!

832

Soto! Explore thyself!
Therein thyself shalt find
The "Undiscovered Continent"-
No Settler had the Mind.

Some things that fly there be

89

Some things that fly there beBirds-
Hours-the Bumblebee-
Of these no Elegy.

Some things that stay there beGrief-
Hills-Eternity-
Nor this behooveth me.

There are that resting, rise.
Can I expound the skies?
How still the Riddle lies!

So the Eyes accost—and sunder

752

So the Eyes accost—and sunder
In an Audience—
Stamped—occasionally—forever—
So may Countenance


Entertain—without addressing
Countenance of One
In a Neighboring Horizon—
Gone—as soon as known—

Size circumscribes—it has no room

641

Size circumscribes—it has no room
For petty furniture—
The Giant tolerates no Gnat
For Ease of Gianture—


Repudiates it, all the more—
Because intrinsic size
Ignores the possibility
Of Calumnies—or Flies.

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 --

One need not be a chamber to be haunted,

One need not be a chamber to be haunted,
One need not be a house;
The brain has corridors surpassing
Material place.


Far safer, of a midnight meeting
External ghost,
Than an interior confronting
That whiter host.


Far safer through an Abbey gallop,
The stones achase,
Than, moonless, one's own self encounter
In lonesome place.


Ourself, behind ourself concealed,
Should startle most;
Assassin, hid in our apartment,
Be horror's least.


The prudent carries a revolver,
He bolts the door,
O'erlooking a superior spectre
More near.

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-

Of Consciousness, her awful Mate

894

Of Consciousness, her awful Mate
The Soul cannot be rid-
As easy the secreting her
Behind the Eyes of God.

The deepest hid is sighted first
And scant to Him the Crowd-
What triple Lenses burn upon
The Escapade from God-

Of Bronze—and Blaze

290

Of Bronze—and Blaze—
The North—Tonight—
So adequate—it forms—
So preconcerted with itself—
So distant—to alarms—
And Unconcern so sovereign
To Universe, or me—
Infects my simple spirit
With Taints of Majesty—
Till I take vaster attitudes—
And strut upon my stem—
Disdaining Men, and Oxygen,
For Arrogance of them—


My Splendors, are Menagerie—
But their Completeless Show
Will entertain the Centuries
When I, am long ago,
An Island in dishonored Grass—
Whom none but Beetles—know.

No Rack can torture me

384

No Rack can torture me-
My Soul-at Liberty-
Behind this mortal Bone
There knits a bolder One-

You cannot prick with saw-
Nor pierce with Scimitar-
Two Bodies-therefore be-
Bind One-The Other fly-

The Eagle of his Nest
No easier divest-
And gain the Sky
Than mayest Thou-

Except Thyself may be
Thine Enemy-
Captivity is ConsciousnessSo's
Liberty.

Nature-sometimes sears a Sapling

314

Nature-sometimes sears a SaplingSometimes-
scalps a Tree-
Her Green People recollect it
When they do not die-

Fainter Leaves-to Further Seasons-
Dumbly testifyWe-
who have the Souls-
Die oftener-Not so vitally-

My Worthiness is all my Doubt

751

My Worthiness is all my Doubt-
His Merit-all my fear-
Contrasting which, my quality
Do lowlier-appear-

Lest I should insufficient prove
For His beloved Need-
The Chiefest Apprehension
Upon my thronging Mind


'Tis true-that Deity to stoop
Inherently incline-
For nothing higher than Itself
Itself can rest upon-

So I-the undivine abode
Of His Elect Content-
Conform my Soul-as 'twere a Church,
Unto Her Sacrament-

Nature and God—I neither knew

835

Nature and God—I neither knew
Yet Both so well knew me
They startled, like Executors
Of My identity.


Yet Neither told—that I could learn—
My Secret as secure
As Herschel's private interest
Or Mercury's affair—

My Soul—accused me—And I quailed

753

My Soul—accused me—And I quailed—
As Tongue of Diamond had reviled
All else accused me—and I smiled—
My Soul—that Morning—was My friend—


Her favor—is the best Disdain
Toward Artifice of Time—or Men—
But Her Disdain—'twere lighter bear
A finger of Enamelled Fire—

My period had come for Prayer

564

My period had come for Prayer-
No other Art-would do-
My Tactics missed a rudimentCreator-
Was it you?

God grows above-so those who pray
Horizons-must ascend-
And so I stepped upon the North
To see this Curious Friend-

His House was not-no sign had He-
By Chimney-nor by Door
Could I infer his Residence-
Vast Prairies of Air

Unbroken by a Settler-
Were all that I could seeInfinitude-
Had'st Thou no Face
That I might look on Thee?

The Silence condescended-
Creation stopped-for Me-
But awed beyond my errand-
I worshipped-did not "pray"-