Wolfe demanded during dying
"Which obtain the Day"?
"General, the British" -- "Easy"
Answered Wolfe "to die"

Montcalm, his opposing Spirit
Rendered with a smile
"Sweet" said he "my own Surrender
Liberty's beguile"

Conscious am I in my Chamber,
Of a shapeless friend --
He doth not attest by Posture --
Nor Confirm -- by Word --

Neither Place -- need I present Him --
Fitter Courtesy
Hospitable intuition
Of His Company --

Presence -- is His furthest license --
Neither He to Me
Nor Myself to Him -- by Accent --
Forfeit Probity --

Weariness of Him, were quainter
Than Monotony
Knew a Particle -- of Space's
Vast Society

Neither if He visit Other --
Do He dwell -- or Nay -- know I --
But Instinct esteem Him
Immortality --

Each Life Converges to some Centre --
Expressed -- or still --
Exists in every Human Nature
A Goal --

Embodied scarcely to itself -- it may be --
Too fair
For Credibility's presumption
To mar --

Adored with caution -- as a Brittle Heaven --
To reach
Were hopeless, as the Rainbow's Raiment
To touch --

Yet persevered toward -- sure -- for the Distance --
How high --
Unto the Saint's slow diligence --
The Sky --

Ungained -- it may be -- by a Life's low Venture --
But then --
Eternity enable the endeavoring
Again.

Soil of Flint, if steady tilled --
Will refund by Hand --
Seed of Palm, by Libyan Sun
Fructified in Sand --

'Twould ease -- a Butterfly --
Elate -- a Bee --
Thou'rt neither --
Neither -- thy capacity --

But, Blossom, were I,
I would rather be
Thy moment
Than a Bee's Eternity --

Content of fading
Is enough for me --
Fade I unto Divinity --

And Dying -- Lifetime --
Ample as the Eye --
Her least attention raise on me --

The Soul unto itself
Is an imperial friend --
Or the most agonizing Spy --
An Enemy -- could send --

Secure against its own --
No treason it can fear --
Itself -- its Sovereign -- of itself
The Soul should stand in Awe --

Best Gains -- must have the Losses' Test --
To constitute them -- Gains --

Not "Revelation" -- 'tis -- that waits,
But our unfurnished eyes --

They say that "Time assuages" --
Time never did assuage --
An actual suffering strengthens
As Sinews do, with age --

Time is a Test of Trouble --
But not a Remedy --
If such it prove, it prove too
There was no Malady --

I'll send the feather from my Hat!
Who knows -- but at the sight of that
My Sovereign will relent?
As trinket -- worn by faded Child --
Confronting eyes long -- comforted --
Blisters the Adamant!

"Speech" -- is a prank of Parliament --
"Tears" -- is a trick of the nerve --
But the Heart with the heaviest freight on --
Doesn't -- always -- move --

The Zeroes -- taught us -- Phosphorous --
We learned to like the Fire
By playing Glaciers -- when a Boy --
And Tinder -- guessed -- by power
Of Opposite -- to balance Odd --
If White -- a Red -- must be!
Paralysis -- our Primer -- dumb --
Unto Vitality!

Victory comes late --
And is held low to freezing lips --
Too rapt with frost
To take it --
How sweet it would have tasted --
Just a Drop --
Was God so economical?
His Table's spread too high for Us --
Unless We dine on tiptoe --
Crumbs -- fit such little mouths --
Cherries -- suit Robbins --
The Eagle's Golden Breakfast strangles -- Them --
God keep His Oath to Sparrows --
Who of little Love -- know how to starve --

Would you like summer?  Taste of ours.
Spices?  Buy here!
Ill!  We have berries, for the parching!
Weary!  Furloughs of down!
Perplexed!  Estates of violet trouble ne'er looked on!
Captive!  We bring reprieve of roses!
Fainting!  Flasks of air!
Even for Death, a fairy medicine.
But, which is it, sir?

The Sun kept setting -- setting -- still
No Hue of Afternoon --
Upon the Village I perceived
From House to House 'twas Noon --

The Dusk kept dropping -- dropping -- still
No Dew upon the Grass --
But only on my Forehead stopped --
And wandered in my Face --

My Feet kept drowsing -- drowsing -- still
My fingers were awake --
Yet why so little sound -- Myself
Unto my Seeming -- make?

How well I knew the Light before --
I could see it now --
'Tis Dying -- I am doing -- but
I'm not afraid to know --