Soul

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 Sapling—
Sometimes—scalps a Tree—
Her Green People recollect it
When they do not die—


Fainter Leaves—to Further Seasons—
Dumbly testify—
We—who have the Souls—
Die oftener—Not so vitally—

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 Reward for Being, was This

343

My Reward for Being, was This.
My premium-My Bliss-
An Admiralty, less-
A Sceptre-penniless-
And Realms-just Dross-

When Thrones accost my Hands-
With "Me, Miss, Me"I'll
unroll Thee-
Dominions dowerless-beside this GraceElection-
Vote-
The Ballots of Eternity, will show just that.

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 life had stood

My life had stood--a Loaded Gun--
In Corners--till a Day
The Owner passed--identified--
And carried Me away--

And now We roam in Sovereign Woods--
And now We hunt the Doe--
And every time I speak for Him--
The Mountains straight reply--

And do I smile, such cordial light
Upon the Valley glow--
It is as a Vesuvian face
Had let its pleasure through--

And when at Night--Our good Day done--
I guard My Master's Head-'
Tis better than the Eider-Duck's
Deep Pillow--to have shared--

To foe of His--I'm deadly foe--
None stir the second time--
On whom I lay a Yellow Eye--
Or an emphatic Thumb--

Though I than He--may longer live
He longer must--than I--
For I have but the power to kill,
Without--the power to die--

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 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.

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

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-

Morns like these—we parted

27

Morns like these—we parted—
Noons like these—she rose—
Fluttering first—then firmer
To her fair repose.


Never did she lisp it—
It was not for me—
She—was mute from transport—
I—from agony—


Till—the evening nearing
One the curtains drew—
Quick! A Sharper rustling!
And this linnet flew!

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!

Me prove it now—Whoever doubt

537

Me prove it now—Whoever doubt
Me stop to prove it—now—
Make haste—the Scruple! Death be scant
For Opportunity—


The River reaches to my feet—
As yet—My Heart be dry—
Oh Lover—Life could not convince—
Might Death—enable Thee—


The River reaches to My Breast—
Still—still—My Hands above
Proclaim with their remaining Might—
Dost recognize the Love?


The River reaches to my Mouth—
Remember—when the Sea
Swept by my searching eyes—the last—
Themselves were quick—with Thee!

Mama never forgets her birds

164

Mama never forgets her birds,
Though in another tree-
She looks down just as often
And just as tenderly
As when her little mortal nest
With cunning care she wove-
If either of her "sparrows fall,"
She "notices," above.

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—

Like eyes that looked on Wastes

458

Like eyes that looked on Wastes-
Incredulous of Ought
But Blank-and steady Wilderness-
Diversified by Night-

Just Infinites of Nought-
As far as it could see-
So looked the face I looked upon-
So looked itself-on Me-

I offered it no Help-
Because the Cause was Mine-
The Misery a Compact
As hopeless-as divine


Neither-would be absolved-
Neither would be a Queen
Without the Other-Therefore-
We perish-tho' We reign-

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—

Just lost, when I was saved!

160

Just lost, when I was saved!
Just felt the world go by!
Just girt me for the onset with Eternity,
When breath blew back,
And on the other side
I heard recede the disappointed tide!


Therefore, as One returned, I feel
Odd secrets of the line to tell!
Some Sailor, skirting foreign shores-
Some pale Reporter, from the awful doors
Before the Seal!


Next time, to stay!
Next time, the things to see
By Ear unheard,
Unscrutinized by Eye-


Next time, to tarry,
While the Ages steal-
Slow tramp the Centuries,
And the Cycles wheel!

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 seen a Dying Eye

547

I've seen a Dying Eye
Run round and round a Room-
In search of Something-as it seemed-
Then Cloudier become-
And then-obscure with Fog-
And then-be soldered down
Without disclosing what it be
'Twere blessed to have seen-

I've none to tell me to but Thee

881

I've none to tell me to but Thee
So when Thou failest, nobody.
It was a little tie-
It just held Two, nor those it held
Since Somewhere thy sweet Face has spilled
Beyond my Boundary-

If things were opposite-and Me
And Me it were-that ebbed from Thee
On some unanswering ShoreWould'st
Thou seek so-just say
That I the Answer may pursue
Unto the lips it eddied throughSo-
overtaking Thee-

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.