From Blank to Blank --
A Threadless Way
I pushed Mechanic feet --
To stop -- or perish -- or advance --
Alike indifferent --

If end I gained
It ends beyond
Indefinite disclosed --
I shut my eyes -- and groped as well
'Twas lighter -- to be Blind --

The Whole of it came not at once --
'Twas Murder by degrees --
A Thrust -- and then for Life a chance --
The Bliss to cauterize --

The Cat reprieves the Mouse
She eases from her teeth
Just long enough for Hope to tease --
Then mashes it to death --

'Tis Life's award -- to die --
Contenteder if once --
Than dying half -- then rallying
For consciouser Eclipse --

He told a homely tale
And spotted it with tears --
Upon his infant face was set
The Cicatrice of years --

All crumpled was the cheek
No other kiss had known
Than flake of snow, divided with
The Redbreast of the Barn --

If Mother -- in the Grave --
Or Father -- on the Sea --
Or Father in the Firmament --
Or Brethren, had he --

If Commonwealth below,
Or Commonwealth above
Have missed a Barefoot Citizen --
I've ransomed it -- alive --

Presentiment -- is that long Shadow -- on the Lawn --
Indicatives that Suns go down --

The Notice to the startled Grass
That Darkness -- is about to pass --

You constituted Time --
I deemed Eternity
A Revelation of Yourself --
'Twas therefore Deity

The Absolute -- removed
The Relative away --
That I unto Himself adjust
My slow idolatry --

My Faith is larger than the Hills --
So when the Hills decay --
My Faith must take the Purple Wheel
To show the Sun the way --

'Tis first He steps upon the Vane --
And then -- upon the Hill --
And then abroad the World He go
To do His Golden Will --

And if His Yellow feet should miss --
The Bird would not arise --
The Flowers would slumber on their Stems --
No Bells have Paradise --

How dare I, therefore, stint a faith
On which so vast depends --
Lest Firmament should fail for me --
The Rivet in the Bands

To offer brave assistance
To Lives that stand alone --
When One has failed to stop them --
Is Human -- but Divine

To lend an Ample Sinew
Unto a Nameless Man --
Whose Homely Benediction
No other -- stopped to earn --

When I hoped, I recollect
Just the place I stood --
At a Window facing West --
Roughest Air -- was good --

Not a Sleet could bite me --
Not a frost could cool --
Hope it was that kept me warm --
Not Merino shawl --

When I feared -- I recollect
Just the Day it was --
Worlds were lying out to Sun --
Yet how Nature froze --

Icicles upon my soul
Prickled Blue and Cool --
Bird went praising everywhere --
Only Me -- was still --

And the Day that I despaired --
This -- if I forget
Nature will -- that it be Night
After Sun has set --
Darkness intersect her face --
And put out her eye --
Nature hesitate -- before
Memory and I --

One and One -- are One --
Two -- be finished using --
Well enough for Schools --
But for Minor Choosing --

Life -- just -- or Death --
Or the Everlasting --
More -- would be too vast
For the Soul's Comprising --

I lived on Dread --
To Those who know
The Stimulus there is
In Danger -- Other impetus
Is numb -- and Vitalless --

As 'twere a Spur -- upon the Soul --
A Fear will urge it where
To go without the Sceptre's aid
Were Challenging Despair.

None can experience sting
Who Bounty -- have not known --
The fact of Famine -- could not be
Except for Fact of Corn --

Want -- is a meagre Art
Acquired by Reverse --
The Poverty that was not Wealth --
Cannot be Indigence.

The hallowing of Pain
Like hallowing of Heaven,
Obtains at a corporeal cost --
The Summit is not given

To Him who strives severe
At middle of the Hill --
But He who has achieved the Top --
All -- is the price of All --