Faith, Spirituality and Religion

Papa above!

61

Papa above!
Regard a Mouse
O'erpowered by the Cat!
Reserve within thy kingdom
A "Mansion" for the Rat!


Snug in seraphic Cupboards
To nibble all the day
While unsuspecting Cycles
Wheel solemnly away!

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.

Only God—detect the Sorrow

626

Only God—detect the Sorrow—
Only God—
The Jehovahs—are no Babblers—
Unto God—
God the Son—Confide it—
Still secure—
God the Spirit's Honor—
Just as sure—

One Blessing had I than the rest

756

One Blessing had I than the rest
So larger to my Eyes
That I stopped gauging-satisfied-
For this enchanted size-

It was the limit of my Dream-
The focus of my Prayer-
A perfect-paralyzing Bliss-
Contented as Despair-

I knew no more of Want-or Cold-
Phantasms both become
For this new Value in the Soul-
Supremest Earthly Sum-

The Heaven below the Heaven above-
Obscured with ruddier BlueLife's
Latitudes leant over-full-
The Judgment perished-too-

Why Bliss so scantily disburse-
Why Paradise defer-
Why Floods be served to Us-in Bowls-
I speculate no more-

On this wondrous sea

4

On this wondrous sea
Sailing silently,
Ho! Pilot, ho!
Knowest thou the shore
Where no breakers roar-
Where the storm is o'er?


In the peaceful west
Many the sails at rest-
The anchors fast-
Thither I pilot thee-
Land Ho! Eternity!
Ashore at last!

Of Tolling Bell I ask the cause?

947

Of Tolling Bell I ask the cause?
"A Soul has gone to Heaven"
I'm answered in a lonesome tone-
Is Heaven then a Prison?


That Bells should ring till all should know
A Soul had gone to Heaven
Would seem to me the more the way
A Good News should be given.

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-

No Other can reduce

982

No Other can reduce
Our mortal Consequence
Like the remembering it be nought
A Period from hence
But Contemplation for
Contemporaneous Nought
Our Single Competition
Jehovah's Estimate.

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-

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"-

My Faith is larger than the Hills

766

My Faith is larger than the Hills-
So when the Hills decay-
My Faith must take the Purple Wheel
To show the Sun the way


'Tis first He steps upon the Vane-
And then-upon the Hill-
And then abroad the World He go
To do His Golden Will-

And if His Yellow feet should miss-
The Bird would not arise-
The Flowers would slumber on their Stems-
No Bells have Paradise-

How dare I, therefore, stint a faith
On which so vast depends-
Lest Firmament should fail for me-
The Rivet in the Bands

My best Acquaintances are those

932

My best Acquaintances are those
With Whom I spoke no Word-
The Stars that stated come to Town
Esteemed Me never rude
Although to their Celestial Call
I failed to make reply-
My constant-reverential Face
Sufficient Courtesy.

Mine—by the Right of the White Election!

528

Mine—by the Right of the White Election!
Mine—by the Royal Seal!
Mine—by the Sign in the Scarlet prison—
Bars—cannot conceal!


Mine—here—in Vision—and in Veto!
Mine—by the Grave's Repeal—
Tilted—Confirmed—
Delirious Charter!
Mine—long as Ages steal!

Love—is that Later Thing than Death

Love—is that later Thing than Death—
More previous—than Life—
Confirms it at its entrance—And
Usurps it—of itself—


Tastes Death—the first—to hand the sting
The Second—to its friend—
Disarms the little interval—
Deposits Him with God—


Then hovers—an inferior Guard—
Lest this Beloved Charge
Need—once in an Eternity—
A smaller than the Large—

Love-thou art high

453

Love-thou art high-
I cannot climb thee-
But, were it Two-
Who know but we-
Taking turns-at the ChimborazoDucal-
at last-stand up by thee


Love-thou are deep-
I cannot cross thee-
But, were there Two
Instead of One-
Rower, and Yacht-some sovereign Summer-
Who knows-but we'd reach the Sun?

Love-thou are Veiled-
A few-behold theeSmile-
and alter-and prattle-and dieBliss-
were an Oddity-without thee-
Nicknamed by God-
Eternity-

Life—is what we make of it

698

Life—is what we make of it—
Death—we do not know—
Christ's acquaintance with Him
Justify Him—though—


He—would trust no stranger—
Other—could betray—
Just His own endorsement—
That—sufficeth Me—


All the other Distance
He hath traversed first—
No New Mile remaineth—
Far as Paradise—


His sure foot preceding—
Tender Pioneer—
Base must be the Coward
Dare not venture—now—

Joy to have merited the Pain

788

Joy to have merited the Pain-
To merit the Release-
Joy to have perished every step-
To Compass Paradise


Pardon-to look upon thy face-
With these old fashioned Eyes-
Better than new-could be-for that-
Though bought in Paradise-

Because they looked on thee before-
And thou hast looked on them-
Prove Me-My Hazel Witnesses
The features are the same-

So fleet thou wert, when present-
So infinite-when gone-
An Orient's Apparition-
Remanded of the Morn-

The Height I recollect'
Twas even with the Hills-
The Depth upon my Soul was notched-
As Floods-on Whites of Wheels-

To Haunt-till Time have dropped
His last Decade away,
And Haunting actualize-to last
At least-Eternity-

I've heard an Organ talk, sometimes

183

I've heard an Organ talk, sometimes
In a Cathedral Aisle,
And understood no word it said-
Yet held my breath, the while-


And risen up-and gone away,
A more Berdardine GirlYet-
know not what was done to me
In that old Chapel Aisle.

It's easy to invent a Life

724

It's easy to invent a Life-
God does it-every DayCreation-
but the Gambol
Of His Authority


It's easy to efface it-
The thrifty Deity
Could scarce afford Eternity
To Spontaneity-

The Perished Patterns murmur-
But His Perturbless Plan
Proceed-inserting Here-a SunThere-
leaving out a Man-

It was too late for Man

623

It was too late for Man-
But early, yet, for GodCreation-
impotent to help-
But Prayer-remained-Our Side-

How excellent the Heaven-
When Earth-cannot be had-
How hospitable-then-the face
Of our Old Neighbor-God-

I'm the little "Heart's Ease"

176

I'm the little "Heart's Ease"!
I don't care for pouting skies!
If the Butterfly delay
Can I, therefore, stay away?


If the Coward Bumble Bee
In his chimney corner stay,
I, must resoluter be!
Who'll apologize for me?


Dear, Old fashioned, little flower!
Eden is old fashioned, too!
Birds are antiquated fellows!
Heaven does not change her blue.
Nor will I, the little Heart's Ease-
Ever be induced to do!

If I'm lost-now

256

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 caredI'm
banished-now-you know it-
How foreign that can beYou'll
know-Sir-when the Savior's face
Turns so-away from you-

If He dissolve—then—there is nothing

236

If He dissolve—then—there is nothing—more—
Eclipse—at Midnight—
It was dark—before—
Sunset—at Easter—
Blindness—on the Dawn—
Faint Star of Bethlehem—
Gone down!


Would but some God—inform Him—
Or it be too late!
Say—that the pulse just lisps—
The Chariots wait—


Say—that a little life—for His—
Is leaking—red—
His little Spaniel—tell Him!
Will He heed?