592

What care the Dead, for Chanticleer --
What care the Dead for Day?
'Tis late your Sunrise vex their face --
And Purple Ribaldry -- of Morning

Pour as blank on them
As on the Tier of Wall
The Mason builded, yesterday,
And equally as cool --

What care the Dead for Summer?
The Solstice had no Sun
Could waste the Snow before their Gate --
And knew One Bird a Tune --

Could thrill their Mortised Ear
Of all the Birds that be --
This One -- beloved of Mankind
Henceforward cherished be --

What care the Dead for Winter?
Themselves as easy freeze --
June Noon -- as January Night --
As soon the South -- her Breeze

Of Sycamore -- or Cinnamon --
Deposit in a Stone
And put a Stone to keep it Warm --
Give Spices -- unto Men --

I think I was enchanted
When first a sombre Girl --
I read that Foreign Lady --
The Dark -- felt beautiful --

And whether it was noon at night --
Or only Heaven -- at Noon --
For very Lunacy of Light
I had not power to tell --

The Bees -- became as Butterflies --
The Butterflies -- as Swans --
Approached -- and spurned the narrow Grass --
And just the meanest Tunes

That Nature murmured to herself
To keep herself in Cheer --
I took for Giants -- practising
Titanic Opera --

The Days -- to Mighty Metres stept --
The Homeliest -- adorned
As if unto a Jubilee
'Twere suddenly confirmed --

I could not have defined the change --
Conversion of the Mind
Like Sanctifying in the Soul --
Is witnessed -- not explained --

'Twas a Divine Insanity --
The Danger to be Sane
Should I again experience --
'Tis Antidote to turn --

To Tomes of solid Witchcraft --
Magicians be asleep --
But Magic -- hath an Element
Like Deity -- to keep --

The Battle fought between the Soul
And No Man -- is the One
Of all the Battles prevalent --
By far the Greater One --

No News of it is had abroad --
Its Bodiless Campaign
Establishes, and terminates --
Invisible -- Unknown --

Nor History -- record it --
As Legions of a Night
The Sunrise scatters -- These endure --
Enact -- and terminate --

Like Mighty Foot Lights -- burned the Red
At Bases of the Trees --
The far Theatricals of Day
Exhibiting -- to These --

'Twas Universe -- that did applaud --
While Chiefest -- of the Crowd --
Enabled by his Royal Dress --
Myself distinguished God --

When I was small, a Woman died --
Today -- her Only Boy
Went up from the Potomac --
His face all Victory

To look at her -- How slowly
The Seasons must have turned
Till Bullets clipt an Angle
And He passed quickly round --

If pride shall be in Paradise --
Ourself cannot decide --
Of their imperial Conduct --
No person testified --

But, proud in Apparition --
That Woman and her Boy
Pass back and forth, before my Brain
As even in the sky --

I'm confident that Bravoes --
Perpetual break abroad
For Braveries, remote as this
In Scarlet Maryland --

It always felt to me -- a wrong
To that Old Moses -- done --
To let him see -- the Canaan --
Without the entering --

And tho' in soberer moments --
No Moses there can be
I'm satisfied -- the Romance
In point of injury --

Surpasses sharper stated --
Of Stephen -- or of Paul --
For these -- were only put to death --
While God's adroiter will

On Moses -- seemed to fasten
With tantalizing Play
As Boy -- should deal with lesser Boy --
To prove ability.

The fault -- was doubtless Israel's --
Myself -- had banned the Tribes --
And ushered Grand Old Moses
In Pentateuchal Robes

Upon the Broad Possession
'Twas little -- But titled Him -- to see --
Old Man on Nebo!  Late as this --
My justice bleeds -- for Thee!

Three times -- we parted -- Breath -- and I --
Three times -- He would not go --
But strove to stir the lifeless Fan
The Waters -- strove to stay.

Three Times -- the Billows tossed me up --
Then caught me -- like a Ball --
Then made Blue faces in my face --
And pushed away a sail

That crawled Leagues off -- I liked to see --
For thinking -- while I die --
How pleasant to behold a Thing
Where Human faces -- be --

The Waves grew sleepy -- Breath -- did not --
The Winds -- like Children -- lulled --
Then Sunrise kissed my Chrysalis --
And I stood up -- and lived --

There is a pain -- so utter --
It swallows substance up --
Then covers the Abyss with Trance --
So Memory can step
Around -- across -- upon it --
As one within a Swoon --
Goes safely -- where an open eye --
Would drop Him -- Bone by Bone.