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A Secret told --
Ceases to be a Secret -- then --
A Secret -- kept --
That -- can appal but One --

Better of it -- continual be afraid --
Than it --
And Whom you told it to -- beside --

For Death -- or rather
For the Things 'twould buy --
This -- put away
Life's Opportunity --

The Things that Death will buy
Are Room --
Escape from Circumstances --
And a Name --

With Gifts of Life
How Death's Gifts may compare --
We know not --
For the Rates -- lie Here --

Exhilaration -- is within --
There can no Outer Wine
So royally intoxicate
As that diviner Brand

The Soul achieves -- Herself --
To drink -- or set away
For Visitor -- Or Sacrament --
'Tis not of Holiday

To stimulate a Man
Who hath the Ample Rhine
Within his Closet -- Best you can
Exhale in offering.

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 Consciousness --
So's Liberty.

Smiling back from Coronation
May be Luxury --
On the Heads that started with us --
Being's Peasantry --

Recognizing in Procession
Ones We former knew --
When Ourselves were also dusty --
Centuries ago --

Had the Triumph no Conviction
Of how many be --
Stimulated -- by the Contrast --
Unto Misery --

Answer July --
Where is the Bee --
Where is the Blush --
Where is the Hay?

Ah, said July --
Where is the Seed --
Where is the Bud --
Where is the May --
Answer Thee -- Me --

Nay -- said the May --
Show me the Snow --
Show me the Bells --
Show me the Jay!

Quibbled the Jay --
Where be the Maize --
Where be the Haze --
Where be the Bur?
Here -- said the Year --

The sweetest Heresy received
That Man and Woman know --
Each Other's Convert --
Though the Faith accommodate but Two --

The Churches are so frequent --
The Ritual -- so small --
The Grace so unavoidable --
To fail -- is Infidel --

Take your Heaven further on --
This -- to Heaven divine Has gone --
Had You earlier blundered in
Possibly, e'en You had seen
An Eternity -- put on --
Now -- to ring a Door beyond
Is the utmost of Your Hand --
To the Skies -- apologize --
Nearer to Your Courtesies
Than this Sufferer polite --
Dressed to meet You --
See -- in White!

There's been a Death, in the Opposite House,
As lately as Today --
I know it, by the numb look
Such Houses have -- alway --

The Neighbors rustle in and out --
The Doctor -- drives away --
A Window opens like a Pod --
Abrupt -- mechanically --

Somebody flings a Mattress out --
The Children hurry by --
They wonder if it died -- on that --
I used to -- when a Boy --

The Minister -- goes stiffly in --
As if the House were His --
And He owned all the Mourners -- now --
And little Boys -- besides --

And then the Milliner -- and the Man
Of the Appalling Trade --
To take the measure of the House --

There'll be that Dark Parade --

Of Tassels -- and of Coaches -- soon --
It's easy as a Sign --
The Intuition of the News --
In just a Country Town --

It's coming -- the postponeless Creature --
It gains the Block -- and now -- it gains the Door --
Chooses its latch, from all the other fastenings --
Enters -- with a "You know Me -- Sir"?

Simple Salute -- and certain Recognition --
Bold -- were it Enemy -- Brief -- were it friend --
Dresses each House in Crape, and Icicle --
And carries one -- out of it -- to God --

A Visitor in Marl --
Who influences Flowers --
Till they are orderly as Busts --
And Elegant -- as Glass --

Who visits in the Night --
And just before the Sun --
Concludes his glistening interview --
Caresses -- and is gone --

But whom his fingers touched --
And where his feet have run --
And whatsoever Mouth be kissed --
Is as it had not been --