Before I got my eye put out
I liked as well to see -
As other Creatures, that have Eyes
And know no other way -
But were it told to me - today -
That I might have the sky
For mine - I tell you that my Heart
Would split, for size of me -
The meadows - mine -
The Mountains - mine -
All Forests - Stintless Stars -
As much of Noon as I could take
Between my finite eyes -
The Motions of The Dipping Birds -
The Lightning’s jointed Road -
For mine - to look at when I liked -
The News would strike me dead -
So safer Guess - With just my soul
Opon the Window pane -
Where other Creatures put their eyes -
Incautious - of the Sun -
Of nearness to her sundered Things
The Soul has special times -
When Dimness - looks the Oddity -
Distinctness - easy - seems -
The Shapes we buried, dwell about,
Familiar, in the Rooms -
Untarnished by the Sepulchre,
Our Mouldering Playmate comes -
In just the Jacket that he wore -
Long buttoned in the Mold
Since we - old mornings, Children - played -
Divided - by a world -
The Grave yields back her Robberies -
The Years, our pilfered Things -
Bright Knots of Apparitions
Salute us, with their wings -
As we - it were - that perished -
Themself - had just remained till we rejoin them -
And 'twas they, and not ourself
That mourned –
Tie the strings to my Life, My Lord,
Then, I am ready to go!
Just a look at the Horses -
Rapid! That will do!
Put me in on the highest side -
So I shall never fall -
For we must ride to the Judgment -
And it's partly, down Hill -
But never I mind the steepest -
And never I mind the Sea -
Held fast in Everlasting Race -
By my own Choice, and Thee -
Good bye to the Life I used to live -
And the World I used to know -
And kiss the Hills, for me, just once -
Then - I am ready to go!
I like a look of Agony,
Because I know it's true -
Men do not sham Convulsion,
Nor simulate, a Throe -
Death, comes
The eyes glaze once - and that is Death -
Impossible to feign
The Beads opon the Forehead
By homely Anguish strung.
I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,
And Mourners to and fro
Kept treading - treading – till it seemed
That Sense was breaking through -
And when they all were seated,
A Service, like a Drum -
Kept beating - beating – till I thought
My mind was going numb -
And then I heard them lift a Box
And creak across my Soul
With those same Boots of Lead, again,
Then Space - began to toll,
As all the Heavens were a Bell,
And Being, but an Ear,
And I, and Silence, some strange Race
Wrecked, solitary, here -
And then a Plank in Reason, broke,
And I dropped down, and down -
And hit a World, at every plunge,
And Finished knowing - then –
'Tis so appalling - it exhilirates -
So over Horror, it dumb fascinates -
The Soul stares after it, secure -
To know the worst, leaves no dread more -
To scan a Ghost, is faint -
But grappling, conquers it -
How easy, Torment, now -
Suspense kept sawing so -
The Truth, is Bald - and Cold -
But that will hold -
If any are not sure -
We show them - prayer -
But we, who know,
Stop hoping, now -
Looking at Death, is Dying -
Just let go the Breath -
And not the pillow at your cheek
So slumbereth -
Others, can wrestle -
Your's, is done -
And so of Wo, bleak dreaded - come,
It sets the Fright at liberty -
And Terror's free -
Gay, Ghastly, Holiday!
How noteless Men, and Pleiads, stand,
Until a sudden sky
Reveals the fact that One is rapt
Forever from the eye -
Members of the Invisible,
Existing, while we stare,
In Leagueless Opportunity,
O'ertakeless, as the Air -
Why did'nt we retain Them?
The Heavens with a smile,
Sweep by our disappointed Heads,
Without a syllable -
When we stand on the tops of Things -
And like the Trees, look down,
The smoke all cleared away from it -
And mirrorrs on the scene -
Just laying light - no soul will wink
Except it have the flaw -
The Sound ones, like the Hills – shall stand -
No lightning, drives - scares away -
The Perfect, nowhere be afraid -
They bear their dauntless Heads,
Where others, dare not go at noon,
Protected by their deeds -
The Stars dare shine occasionally
Opon a spotted World -
And Suns, go surer, for their Proof,
As if an axle, held -
'Twas just this time, last year, I died.
I know I heard the Corn,
When I was carried by the Farms -
It had the Tassels on -
I thought how yellow it would look -
When Richard went to mill -
And then, I wanted to get out,
But something held my will.
I thought just how Red - Apples wedged
The Stubble's joints between -
And Carts went stooping round the fields
To take the Pumpkins in -
I wondered which would miss me, least,
And when Thanksgiving, came,
If Father'd multiply the plates -
To make an even Sum -
And would it blur the Christmas glee
My stocking hang too high
For any Santa Claus to reach
The altitude of me -
But this sort, grieved myself,
And so, I thought the other way,
How just this time, some perfect year -
Themself, should come to me -
Afraid! Of whom am I afraid?
Not Death - for who is He?
The Porter of my Father's Lodge
As much abasheth me!
Of Life? 'Twere odd I fear thing
That comprehendeth me
In one or more - existences -
Just as the case may be -
Of Resurrection? Is the East
Afraid to trust the Morn
With her fastidious forehead?
As soon impeach my Crown!
I showed her Hights she never saw -
"Would'st Climb," I said?
She said - "Not so" -
"With me -" I said - With me?
I showed her Secrets - Morning's Nest -
The Rope the Nights were put across -
And now - "Would'st have me for a Guest"?
She could not find her Yes -
And then, I brake my life - And Lo,
A Light, for her, did solemn glow,
The steadier, as her face withdrew -
And could she, further, "No"?
He showed me Hights I never saw -
"Would'st Climb" - He said?
I said, "Not so" -
"With me -" He said - "With me"?
He showed me secrets - Morning's Nest -
The Rope the Nights were put across -
"And now, Would'st have me for a Guest"?
I could not find my "Yes" -
And then - He brake His Life - And lo,
A light for me, did solemn glow -
The steadier, as my face withdrew -
And could I further "No"?
I showed her Hights she never saw -
"Would'st Climb," I said?
She said - "Not so" -
"With me -" I said - With me?
I showed her Secrets - Morning's Nest -
The Rope the Nights were put across -
And now - "Would'st have me for a Guest"?
She could not find her Yes -
And then, I brake my life - And Lo,
A Light, for her, did solemn glow,
The steadier, as her face withdrew -
And could she, further, "No"?