Poetessa, nato venerdì 10 dicembre 1830 a Amherst, Massachusetts (USA - Stati Uniti d'America), morto sabato 15 maggio 1886 a Amherst, Massachusetts (USA - Stati Uniti d'America)
He put the Belt around my life - I heard the Buckle snap - And turned away, imperial, My Lifetime folding up - Deliberate, as a Duke would do A Kingdom's Title Deed - Henceforth, a Dedicated sort - A Member of the Cloud. Yet not too far to come at call - And do the little Toils That make the Circuit of the Rest - And deal occasional smiles To lives that stoop to notice mine - And kindly ask it in - Whose invitation, know you not For Whom I must decline?
I breathed enough to take the Trick - And now, removed from Air - I simulate the Breath, so well - That One, to be quite sure - The Lungs are stirless - must descend Among the Cunning Cells - And touch the Pantomime - Himself, How cool - the Bellows feels.
A solemn thing - it was - I said - A woman - white - to be - And wear - if God should count me fit - Her blameless mystery - A hallowed thing - to drop a life Into the purple well - Too plummetless - that it return - Eternity - until -
I pondered how the bliss would look - And would it feel as big - When I could take it in my hand - As glimmering - seen - through fog -
And then - the size of this "small" life - The Sages - call it small - Swelled - like Horizons - in my vest - And I sneered - softly - "small"!
One Life of so much Consequence! Yet I - for it - would pay - My Soul's entire income - In ceaseless - salary - One Pearl - to me - so signal - That I would instant dive - Although - I knew - to take it - Would cost me - just a life!
The Sea is full - I know it! That - does not blur my Gem! It burns - distinct from all the row - Intact - in Diadem!
The life is thick - I know it! Yet - not so dense a crowd - But Monarchs - are perceptible - Far down the dustiest Road!
Bound - a Trouble - and Lives will bear it - Circumscription - enables Wo - Still to anticipate - Were no limit - Who were sufficient to Misery? State it the Ages - to a cipher - And it will ache - contented on - Sing, at it's pain, as any Workman - Notching the fall of the Even Sun.
Bound - a trouble - And lives can bear it! Limit - how deep a bleeding go! So - many - drops - of vital scarlet - Deal with the soul As with Algebra! Tell it the Ages - to a cypher - And it will ache - contented - on - Sing - at it's pain - as any Workman - Notching the fall of the Even Sun!
Me, change! Me, alter! Then I will, when on the Everlasting Hill A Smaller Purple grows - At sunset, or a lesser glow Flickers upon Cordillera - At Day's superior close!
Did we disobey Him? Just one time! Charged us to forget Him - But we could'nt learn! Were Himself - such a Dunce - What would we - do? Love the dull lad - best - Oh, wouldn't you.
This - is the land - the Sunset washes - These - are the Banks of the Yellow Sea - Where it rose - or whither it rushes - These - are the Western Mystery! Night after Night Her purple traffic Strews the landing with Opal Bales - Merchantmen - poise upon Horizons - Dip - and vanish like Orioles!