Who never lost, are unprepared A Coronet to find! Who never thirsted Flagons, and Cooling Tamarind! Who never climbed the weary league - Can such a foot explore The purple territories On Pizarro's shore? How many Legions overcome - The Emperor will say? How many Colors taken On Revolution Day? How many Bullets bearest? Hast Thou the Royal scar? Angels! Write "Promoted" On this Soldier's brow! ___ A Lady red - amid the Hill Her annual secret keeps! A Lady white, within the Field In placid Lily sleeps! The tidy Breezes, with their Brooms - Sweep vale - and hill - and tree! Prithee, My pretty Housewives! Who may expected be? The Neighbors do not yet suspect! The Woods exchange a smile! Orchard, and Buttercup, and Bird - In such a little while! And yet, how still the Landscape stands! How nonchalant the Hedge! As if the "Resurrection" Were nothing very strange! ___ To fight aloud, is very brave - But gallanter, I know Who charge within the bosom The Cavalry of Woe - Who win, and nations do not see - Who fall - and none observe - Whose dying eyes, no Country Regards with patriot love - We trust, in plumed procession For such, the Angels go - Rank after Rank, with even feet - And Uniforms of snow. ___ "Houses" - so the Wise men tell me - "Mansions"! Mansions must be warm! Mansions cannot let the tears in - Mansions must exclude the storm! "Many Mansions", by "his Father" - I don't know him; snugly built! Could the children find the way there - Some, would even trudge tonight! ___ Bring me the sunset in a cup - Reckon the morning's flagons up And say how many Dew - Tell me how far the morning leaps - Tell me what time the weaver sleeps Who spun the breadths of blue! Write me how many notes there be In the new Robin's extasy Among astonished boughs - How many trips the Tortoise makes - How many cups the Bee partakes, The Debauchee of Dews! Also, who laid the Rainbow's piers, Also, who leads the docile spheres By withes of supple blue? Whose fingers string the stalactite - Who counts the wampum of the night To see that none is due? Who built this little Alban House And shut the windows down so close My spirit cannot see? Who'll let me out some gala day With implements to fly away, Passing Pomposity? ___ She died at play - Gambolled away Her lease of spotted hours, Then sank as gaily as a Turk Upon a Couch of flowers - Her ghost strolled softly o'er the hill - Yesterday, and Today - Her vestments as the silver fleece - Her countenance as spray - ___ Cocoon above! Cocoon below! Stealthy Cocoon, why hide you so What all the world suspect? An hour, and gay on every tree Your secret, perched in extasy Defies imprisonment! An hour in chrysalis to pass - Then gay above receding grass A Butterfly to go! A moment to interrogate, Then wiser than a "Surrogate," The Universe to know! ___ Exultation is the going Of an inland soul to sea, Past the houses - past the headlands, Into deep Eternity - Bred as we, among the mountains, Can the sailor understand The divine intoxication Of the first league out from land? ___ I never hear the word "Escape" Without a quicker blood! A sudden expectation! A flying attitude! I never hear of prisons broad By soldiers battered down - But I tug, childish, at my bars Only to fail again! ___ My Wheel is in the dark! I cannot see a spoke Yet know it's dripping feet Go round and round. My foot is on the Tide! An unfrequented road - Yet have all roads A clearing at the end - Some have resigned the Loom - Some in the busy tomb Find quaint employ - Some with new - stately feet - Pass royal thro' the gate - Flinging the problem back At you and I! ___ Besides the Autumn poets sing A few prosaic days A little this side of the snow And that side of the Haze - A few incisive mornings - A few Ascetic eves - Gone - Mr Bryant's "Golden Rod" - And Mr Thomson's "sheaves." Still, is the bustle in the Brook - Sealed are the spicy valves - Mesmeric fingers softly touch The Eyes of many Elves - Perhaps a squirrel may remain - My sentiments to share - Grant me, Oh Lord, a sunny mind - Thy windy will to bear! ___ Safe in their Alabaster Chambers - Untouched by Morning And untouched by Noon - Lie the meek members of the Resurrection - Rafter of Satin - and Roof of Stone! Grand go the Years - in the Crescent - above them - Worlds scoop their Arcs - And Firmaments - row - Diadems - drop - and Doges - surrender - Soundless as dots - on a Disc of Snow - ___ A poor - torn heart - a tattered heart - That sat it down to rest - Nor noticed that the ebbing Day Flowed silver to the west - Nor noticed Night did soft descend - Nor Constellation burn - Intent upon the vision Of latitudes unknown. The angels - happening that way This dusty heart espied - Tenderly took it up from toil And carried it to God - There - sandals for the Barefoot - There - gathered from the gales - Do the blue havens by the hand Lead the wandering Sails. ___ I bring an unaccustomed wine To lips long parching Next to mine, And summon them to drink; Crackling with fever, they essay, I turn my brimming eyes away, And come next hour to look. The hands still hug the tardy glass - The lips I w'd have cooled, alas - Are so superfluous cold - I w'd as soon attempt to warm The bosoms where the frost has lain Ages beneath the mould - Some other thirsty there may be To whom this w'd have pointed me Had it remained to speak - And so I always bear the cup If, haply, mine may be the drop Some pilgrim thirst to slake - If, haply, any say to me "Unto the little, unto me," When I at last awake - ___ As Children bid the Guest "Good Night" And then reluctant turn - My flowers raise their pretty lips - Then put their nightgowns on. As children caper when they wake - Merry that it is Morn - My flowers from a hundred cribs Will peep, and prance again. ___ Going to Heaven! I dont know when - Pray do not ask me how! Indeed I'm too astonished To think of answering you! Going to Heaven! How dim it sounds! And yet it will be done As sure as flocks go home at night Unto the Shepherd's arm! Perhaps you're going too! Who knows? If you sh'd get there first Save just a little space for me Close to the two I lost - The smallest "Robe" will fit me And just a bit of "Crown" - For you know we do not mind our dress When we are going home - I'm glad I dont believe it For it w'd stop my breath - And I'd like to look a little more At such a curious Earth! I am glad they did believe it Whom I have never found Since the mighty autumn afternoon I left them in the ground. ___ Our lives are Swiss - So still - so Cool - Till some odd afternoon The Alps neglect their Curtains And we look farther on! Italy stands the other side! While like a guard between - The solemn Alps - The siren Alps Forever intervene! ___