494

Going to Him!  Happy letter!
Tell Him --
Tell Him the page I didn't write --
Tell Him -- I only said the Syntax --
And left the Verb and the pronoun out --
Tell Him just how the fingers hurried --
Then --  how they waded -- slow -- slow --
And then you wished you had eyes in your pages --
So you could see what moved them so --

Tell Him -- it wasn't a Practised Writer --
You guessed -- from the way the sentence toiled --
You could hear the Bodice tug, behind you --
As if it held but the might of a child --
You almost pitied it -- you -- it worked so --
Tell Him -- no -- you may quibble there --
For it would split His Heart, to know it --
And then you and I, were silenter.

Tell Him -- Night finished -- before we finished --
And the Old Clock kept neighing "Day"!
And you -- got sleepy -- and begged to be ended --
What could it hinder so -- to say?
Tell Him -- just how she sealed you -- Cautious!
But -- if He ask where you are hid
Until tomorrow -- Happy letter!
Gesture Coquette -- and shake your Head!

It's thoughts -- and just One Heart --
And Old Sunshine -- about --
Make frugal -- Ones -- Content --
And two or three -- for Company --
Upon a Holiday --
Crowded -- as Sacrament --

Books -- when the Unit --
Spare the Tenant -- long eno' --
A Picture -- if it Care --
Itself -- a Gallery too rare --
For needing more --

Flowers -- to keep the Eyes -- from going awkward --
When it snows --
A Bird -- if they -- prefer --
Though Winter fire -- sing clear as Plover --
To our -- ear --

A Landscape -- not so great
To suffocate the Eye --
A Hill -- perhaps --
Perhaps -- the profile of a Mill
Turned by the Wind --
Tho' such -- are luxuries --

It's thoughts -- and just two Heart --
And Heaven -- about --
At least -- a Counterfeit --
We would not have Correct --
And Immortality -- can be almost --
Not quite -- Content --

As far from pity, as complaint --
As cool to speech -- as stone --
As numb to Revelation
As if my Trade were Bone --

As far from time -- as History --
As near yourself -- Today --
As Children, to the Rainbow's scarf --
Or Sunset's Yellow play

To eyelids in the Sepulchre --
How dumb the Dancer lies --
While Color's Revelations break --
And blaze -- the Butterflies!

He strained my faith --
Did he find it supple?
Shook my strong trust --
Did it then -- yield?

Hurled my belief --
But -- did he shatter -- it?
Racked -- with suspense --
Not a nerve failed!

Wrung me -- with Anguish --
But I never doubted him --
'Tho' for what wrong
He did never say --

Stabbed -- while I sued
His sweet forgiveness --
Jesus -- it's your little "John"!
Don't you know -- me?

I envy Seas, whereon He rides --
I envy Spokes of Wheels
Of Chariots, that Him convey --
I envy Crooked Hills

That gaze upon His journey --
How easy All can see
What is forbidden utterly
As Heaven -- unto me!

I envy Nests of Sparrows --
That dot His distant Eaves --
The wealthy Fly, upon His Pane --
The happy -- happy Leaves --

That just abroad His Window
Have Summer's leave to play --
The Ear Rings of Pizarro
Could not obtain for me --

I envy Light -- that wakes Him --
And Bells -- that boldly ring
To tell Him it is Noon, abroad --
Myself -- be Noon to Him --

Yet interdict -- my Blossom --
And abrogate -- my Bee --
Lest Noon in Everlasting Night --
Drop Gabriel -- and Me --

Those fair -- fictitious People --
The Women -- plucked away
From our familiar Lifetime --
The Men of Ivory --

Those Boys and Girls, in Canvas --
Who stay upon the Wall
In Everlasting Keepsake --
Can Anybody tell?

We trust -- in places perfecter --
Inheriting Delight
Beyond our faint Conjecture --
Our dizzy Estimate --

Remembering ourselves, we trust --
Yet Blesseder -- than We --
Through Knowing -- where We only hope --
Receiving -- where we -- pray --

Of Expectation -- also --
Anticipating us
With transport, that would be a pain
Except for Holiness --

Esteeming us -- as Exile --
Themself -- admitted Home --
Through easy Miracle of Death --
The Way ourself, must come --