Oh Shadow on the Grass,
Art thou a Step or not?
Go make thee fair my Candidate
My nominated Heart --
Oh Shadow on the Grass
While I delay to guess
Some other thou wilt consecrate --
Oh Unelected Face --

'Twas fighting for his Life he was --
That sort accomplish well --
The Ordnance of Vitality
Is frugal of its Ball.

It aims once -- kills once -- conquers once --
There is no second War
In that Campaign inscrutable
Of the Interior.

The Voice that stands for Floods to me
Is sterile borne to some --
The Face that makes the Morning mean
Glows impotent on them --

What difference in Substance lies
That what is Sum to me
By other Financiers be deemed
Exclusive Property!

The Sun and Fog contested
The Government of Day --
The Sun took down his Yellow Whip
And drove the Fog away --

The pungent atom in the Air
Admits of no debate --
All that is named of Summer Days
Relinquished our Estate --

For what Department of Delight
As positive are we
As Limit of Dominion
Or Dams -- of Ecstasy --

An honest Tear
Is durabler than Bronze --
This Cenotaph
May each that dies --

Reared by itself --
No Deputy suffice --
Gratitude bears
When Obelisk decays

All men for Honor hardest work
But are not known to earn --
Paid after they have ceased to work
In Infamy or Urn --

Somehow myself survived the Night
And entered with the Day --
That it be saved the Saved suffice
Without the Formula.

Henceforth I take my living place
As one commuted led --
A Candidate for Morning Chance
But dated with the Dead.

What we see we know somewhat
Be it but a little --
What we don't surmise we do
Though it shows so fickle

I shall vote for Lands with Locks
Granted I can pick 'em --
Transport's doubtful Dividend
Patented by Adam.

To make Routine a Stimulus
Remember it can cease --
Capacity to Terminate
Is a Specific Grace --
Of Retrospect the Arrow
That power to repair
Departed with the Torment
Become, alas, more fair --

I should not dare to be so sad
So many Years again --
A Load is first impossible
When we have put it down --

The Superhuman then withdraws
And we who never saw
The Giant at the other side
Begin to perish now.

A soft Sea washed around the House
A Sea of Summer Air
And rose and fell the magic Planks
That sailed without a care --
For Captain was the Butterfly
For Helmsman was the Bee
And an entire universe
For the delighted crew.

Are Friends Delight or Pain?
Could Bounty but remain
Riches were good --

But if they only stay
Ampler to fly away
Riches are sad.