Faith, Spirituality and Religion

Triumph—may be of several kinds

455

Triumph—may be of several kinds—
There's Triumph in the Room
When that Old Imperator—Death—
By Faith

To put this World down, like a Bundle

527

To put this World down, like a Bundle-
And walk steady, away,
Requires Energy-possibly Agony'
Tis the Scarlet way

Trodden with straight renunciation
By the Son of God-
Later, his faint Confederates
Justify the Road-

Flavors of that old Crucifixion-
Filaments of Bloom, Pontius Pilate sowed-
Strong Clusters, from Barabbas' Tomb-

Sacrament, Saints partook before us-
Patent, every drop,
With the Brand of the Gentile Drinker
Who indorsed the Cup-

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!

They dropped like flakes

They dropped like flakes, they dropped like stars,
Like petals from a rose,
When suddenly across the lune
A wind with fingers goes.

They perished in the seamless grass,-No
eye could find the place;
But God on his repealless list
Can summon every face

The Sun and Moon must make their haste

871

The Sun and Moon must make their haste-
The Stars express around
For in the Zones of Paradise
The Lord alone is burned-

His Eye, it is the East and West-
The North and South when He
Do concentrate His Countenance
Like Glow Worms, flee away-

Oh Poor and Far-
Oh Hindred Eye
That hunted for the Day-
The Lord a Candle entertains
Entirely for Thee-

The Soul that hath a Guest

674

The Soul that hath a Guest
Doth seldom go abroad-
Diviner Crowd at Home-
Obliterate the need-

And Courtesy forbid
A Host's departure when
Upon Himself be visiting
The Emperor of Men-

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 Murmur of a Bee

155

The Murmur of a Bee
A Witchcraft-yieldeth me-
If any ask me why'
Twere easier to die-
Than tell-

The Red upon the Hill
Taketh away my will-
If anybody sneer-
Take care-for God is hereThat's
all.

The Breaking of the Day
Addeth to my Degree-
If any ask me howArtist-
who drew me so-
Must tell!

The Morning after Woe

364

The Morning after Woe'
Tis frequently the Way-
Surpasses all that rose before-
For utter Jubilee-

As Nature did not care-
And piled her Blossoms on-
And further to parade a Joy
Her Victim stared upon-

The Birds declaim their Tunes-
Pronouncing every word
Like Hammers-Did they know they fell
Like Litanies of Lead-

On here and there-a creatureThey'd
modify the Glee
To fit some Crucifixal Clef-
Some Key of Calvary-

The hallowing of Pain

772

The hallowing of Pain
Like hallowing of Heaven,
Obtains at a corporeal cost-
The Summit is not given

To Him who strives severe
At middle of the Hill-
But He who has achieved the TopAll-
is the price of All-

The good Will of a Flower

849

The good Will of a Flower
The Man who would possess
Must first present
Certificate
Of minted Holiness.

The Definition of Beauty is

988

The Definition of Beauty is
That Definition is none-
Of Heaven, easing Analysis,
Since Heaven and He are one.

The Court is far away

235

The Court is far away-
No Umpire-have I-
My Sovereign is offended-
To gain his grace-I'd die!

I'll seek his royal feetI'll
say-Remember-King-
Thou shalt-thyself-one day-a Child-
Implore a larger-thing-

That Empire-is of Czars-
As small-they say-as I-
Grant me-that day-the royalty-
To intercede-for Thee-

The Birds begun at Four o'clock

783

The Birds begun at Four o'clock-
Their period for Dawn-
A Music numerous as space-
But neighboring as Noon-

I could not count their Force-
Their Voices did expend
As Brook by Brook bestows itself
To multiply the Pond.

Their Witnesses were not-
Except occasional man-
In homely industry arrayed-
To overtake the Morn-

Nor was it for applause-
That I could ascertain-
But independent Ecstasy
Of Deity and Men-

By Six, the Flood had done-
No Tumult there had been
Of Dressing, or Departure-
And yet the Band was gone-

The Sun engrossed the East-
The Day controlled the World-
The Miracle that introduced
Forgotten, as fulfilled.

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-

Sweet, to have had them lost

901

Sweet, to have had them lost
For news that they be saved-
The nearer they departed Us
The nearer they, restored,

Shall stand to Our Right Hand-
Most precious and the Dead-
Next precious
Those that rose to go-
Then thought of Us, and stayed.

Struck, was I, not yet by Lightning

925

Struck, was I, not yet by LightningLightning-
lets away
Power to perceive His Process
With Vitality.

Maimed-was I-yet not by Venture-
Stone of stolid Boy-
Nor a Sportsman's Peradventure-
Who mine Enemy?

Robbed-was I-intact to Bandit-
All my Mansion tornSun-
withdrawn to Recognition-
Furthest shining-done-

Yet was not the foe-of any-
Not the smallest Bird
In the nearest Orchard dwelling
Be of Me-afraid.

Most-I love the Cause that slew Me.
Often as I die
Its beloved Recognition
Holds a Sun on Me


Best-at Setting-as is Nature's-
Neither witnessed Rise
Till the infinite Aurora
In the other's eyes.

Spring is the Period

844

Spring is the Period
Express from God.
Among the other seasons
Himself abide,

But during March and April
None stir abroad
Without a cordial interview
With God.

So has a Daisy vanished

28

So has a Daisy vanished
From the fields today-
So tiptoed many a slipper
To Paradise away-

Oozed so in crimson bubbles
Day's departing tideBlooming-
tripping-flowing
Are ye then with God?

Should you but fail at—Sea

226

Should you but fail at—Sea—
In sight of me—
Or doomed lie—
Next Sun—to die—
Or rap—at Paradise—unheard
I'd harass God
Until he let you in!

Savior! I've no one else to tell

217

Savior! I've no one else to tell-
And so I trouble thee.
I am the one forgot thee so-
Dost thou remember me?
Nor, for myself, I came so far-
That were the little load-
I brought thee the imperial Heart
I had not strength to hold-
The Heart I carried in my own-
Till mine too heavy grewYet-
strangest-heavier since it went-
Is it too large for you?

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!

Prayer is the little implement

437

Prayer is the little implement
Through which Men reach
Where Presence-is denied them.
They fling their Speech

By means of it-in God's Ear-
If then He hear-
This sums the Apparatus
Comprised in Prayer-