711

Strong Draughts of Their Refreshing Minds
To drink -- enables Mine
Through Desert or the Wilderness
As bore it Sealed Wine --

To go elastic -- Or as One
The Camel's trait -- attained --
How powerful the Stimulus
Of an Hermetic Mind --

Because I could not stop for Death --
He kindly stopped for me --
The Carriage held but just Ourselves --
And Immortality.

We slowly drove -- He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility --

We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess -- in the Ring --
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain --
We passed the Setting Sun --

Or rather -- He passed Us --
The Dews drew quivering and chill --
For only Gossamer, my Gown --
My Tippet -- only Tulle --

We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground --
The Roof was scarcely visible --
The Cornice -- in the Ground --

Since then -- 'tis Centuries -- and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity --

Fame of Myself, to justify,
All other Plaudit be
Superfluous -- An Incense
Beyond Necessity --

Fame of Myself to lack -- Although
My Name be else Supreme --
This were an Honor honorless --
A futile Diadem --

Rest at Night
The Sun from shining,
Nature -- and some Men --
Rest at Noon -- some Men --
While Nature
And the Sun -- go on --

The World -- feels Dusty
When We stop to Die --
We want the Dew -- then --
Honors -- taste dry --

Flags -- vex a Dying face --
But the least Fan
Stirred by a friend's Hand --
Cools -- like the Rain --

Mine be the Ministry
When they Thirst comes --
And Hybla Balms --
Dews of Thessaly, to fetch --

The Day undressed -- Herself --
Her Garter -- was of Gold --
Her Petticoat -- of Purple plain --
Her Dimities -- as old

Exactly -- as the World --
And yet the newest Star --
Enrolled upon the Hemisphere
Be wrinkled -- much as Her --

Too near to God -- to pray --
Too near to Heaven -- to fear --
The Lady of the Occident
Retired without a care --

Her Candle so expire
The flickering be seen
On Ball of Mast in Bosporus --
And Dome -- and Window Pane --

The Beggar Lad -- dies early --
It's Somewhat in the Cold --
And Somewhat in the Trudging feet --
And haply, in the World --

The Cruel -- smiling -- bowing World --
That took its Cambric Way --
Nor heard the timid cry for "Bread" --
"Sweet Lady -- Charity" --

Among Redeemed Children
If Trudging feet may stand
The Barefoot time forgotten -- so --
The Sleet -- the bitter Wind --

The Childish Hands that teased for Pence
Lifted adoring -- them --
To Him whom never Ragged -- Coat
Did supplicate in vain --

I meant to find Her when I came --
Death -- had the same design --
But the Success -- was His -- it seems --
And the Surrender -- Mine --

I meant to tell Her how I longed
For just this single time --
But Death had told Her so the first --
And she had past, with Him --

To wander -- now -- is my Repose --
To rest -- To rest would be
A privilege of Hurricane
To Memory -- and Me.

A South Wind -- has a pathos
Of individual Voice --
As One detect on Landings
An Emigrant's address.

A Hint of Ports and Peoples --
And much not understood --
The fairer -- for the farness --
And for the foreignhood.

No Prisoner be --
Where Liberty --
Himself -- abide with Thee --

Behind Me -- dips Eternity --
Before Me -- Immortality --
Myself -- the Term between --
Death but the Drift of Eastern Gray,
Dissolving into Dawn away,
Before the West begin --

'Tis Kingdoms -- afterward -- they say --
In perfect -- pauseless Monarchy --
Whose Prince -- is Son of None --
Himself -- His Dateless Dynasty --
Himself -- Himself diversify --
In Duplicate divine --

'Tis Miracle before Me -- then --
'Tis Miracle behind -- between --
A Crescent in the Sea --
With Midnight to the North of Her --
And Midnight to the South of Her --
And Maelstrom -- in the Sky --