You cannot put a Fire out --
A Thing that can ignite
Can go, itself, without a Fan --
Upon the slowest Night --

You cannot fold a Flood --
And put it in a Drawer --
Because the Winds would find it out --
And tell your Cedar Floor --

We dream -- it is good we are dreaming --
It would hurt us -- were we awake --
But since it is playing -- kill us,
And we are playing -- shriek --

What harm?  Men die -- externally --
It is a truth -- of Blood --
But we -- are dying in Drama --
And Drama -- is never dead --

Cautious -- We jar each other --
And either -- open the eyes --
Lest the Phantasm -- prove the Mistake --
And the livid Surprise

Cool us to Shafts of Granite --
With just an Age -- and Name --
And perhaps a phrase in Egyptian --
It's prudenter -- to dream --

I tried to think a lonelier Thing
Than any I had seen --
Some Polar Expiation -- An Omen in the Bone
Of Death's tremendous nearness --

I probed Retrieverless things
My Duplicate -- to borrow --
A Haggard Comfort springs

From the belief that Somewhere --
Within the Clutch of Thought --
There dwells one other Creature
Of Heavenly Love -- forgot --

I plucked at our Partition
As One should pry the Walls --
Between Himself -- and Horror's Twin --
Within Opposing Cells --

I almost strove to clasp his Hand,
Such Luxury -- it grew --
That as Myself -- could pity Him --
Perhaps he -- pitied me --

Two butterflies went out at Noon --
And waltzed upon a Farm --
Then stepped straight through the Firmament
And rested, on a Beam --

And then -- together bore away
Upon a shining Sea --
Though never yet, in any Port --
Their coming, mentioned -- be --

If spoken by the distant Bird --
If met in Ether Sea
By Frigate, or by Merchantman --
No notice -- was -- to me --

We see -- Comparatively --
The Thing so towering high
We could not grasp its segment
Unaided -- Yesterday --

This Morning's finer Verdict --
Makes scarcely worth the toil --
A furrow -- Our Cordillera --
Our Apennine -- a Knoll --

Perhaps 'tis kindly -- done us --
The Anguish -- and the loss --
The wrenching -- for His Firmament
The Thing belonged to us --

To spare these Striding Spirits
Some Morning of Chagrin --
The waking in a Gnat's -- embrace --
Our Giants -- further on --

She's happy, with a new Content --
That feels to her -- like Sacrament --
She's busy -- with an altered Care --
As just apprenticed to the Air --

She's tearful -- if she weep at all --
For blissful Causes -- Most of all
That Heaven permit so meek as her --
To such a Fate -- to Minister.

The Heart asks Pleasure -- first --
And then -- Excuse from Pain --
And then -- those little Anodyness
That deaden suffering --

And then -- to go to sleep --
And then -- if it should be
The will of its Inquisitor
The privilege to die --

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!

'Tis true -- They shut me in the Cold --
But then -- Themselves were warm
And could not know the feeling 'twas --
Forget it -- Lord -- of Them --

Let not my Witness hinder Them
In Heavenly esteem --
No Paradise could be -- Conferred
Through Their beloved Blame --

The Harm They did -- was short -- And since
Myself -- who bore it -- do --
Forgive Them -- Even as Myself --
Or else -- forgive not me --

The Province of the Saved
Should be the Art -- To save --
Through Skill obtained in Themselves --
The Science of the Grave

No Man can understand
But He that hath endured
The Dissolution -- in Himself --
That Man -- be qualified

To qualify Despair
To Those who failing new --
Mistake Defeat for Death -- Each time --
Till acclimated -- to --