I envy Seas, whereon He rides - I envy Spokes of Wheels Of Chariots, that Him convey - I envy Crooked Hills That gaze upon His journey - How easy all can see What is forbidden utterly As Eden - unto me!
I envy Nests of Sparrows - That dot His distant Eaves - The wealthy Fly, upon His Pane - The happy - happy Leaves -
That just abroad His Window Have Summer's leave to play - The Ear Rings of Pizarro Could not obtain for me -
I envy Light - that wakes Him - And Bells - that boldly ring To tell Him it is Noon, abroad - Myself - be Noon to Him -
Yet interdict - my Blossom - And abrogate - my Bee - Lest Noon in Everlasting Night - Drop Gabriel - and Me.
He strained my faith - Did he find it supple? Shook my strong trust - Did it then - yield? Hurled my belief - But - did he shatter - it? Racked - with suspense - Not a nerve failed!
Wrung me - with Anguish - But I never doubted him - [Or - Must be - I deserved - it -] Thò for what wrong He did never say -
Stabbed - while I sued His sweet forgiveness - Jesus - it's your little "John"! Don't you know - me? [Why - Slay - Me?]
As far from pity, as complaint - As cool to speech - as stone - As numb to Revelation As if my Trade were Bone - As far from Time - as History - As near yourself - Today - As Children, to the Rainbow's scarf - Or Sunset's Yellow play
To eyelids in the Sepulchre - How dumb the Dancer lies - While Color's Revelations break - And blaze - the Butterflies!
Alone, I cannot be - For Hosts - do visit me - Recordless Company - Who baffle Key - They have no Robes, nor Names - No Almanacs - nor Climes - But general Homes Like Gnomes -
Their Coming, may be known By Couriers within - Their going - is not - For they're never gone.
Your Riches - taught me - Poverty. Myself - a Millionaire In little Wealths, as Girls could boast - Till broad as Buenos Ayre - You drifted your Dominions - A Different Peru - And I esteemed All Poverty For Life's Estate with you -
Of Mines, I little know - myself - But just the names, of Gems - The Colors of the Commonest - And scarce of Diadems -
So much, that did I meet the Queen - Her Glory I should know - But this, must be a different Wealth - To miss it - beggars so -
I'm sure 'tis India - all Day - To those who look on You - Without a stint - without a blame, Might I - but be the Jew -
I'm sure it is Golconda - Beyond my power to deem - To have a smile for Mine - each Day, How better, than a Gem!
At least, it solaces to know That there exists - a Gold - Altho' I prove it, just in time It's distance - to behold -
It's far - far Treasure to surmise - And estimate the Pearl - That slipped my simple fingers through - While just a Girl at School.
She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that's best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes: Thus mellow'd to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies. One shade the more, one ray the less, Had half impair'd the nameless grace Which waves in every raven tress, Or softly lightens o'er her face; Where thoughts serenely sweet express How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow, So soft, so calm, yet eloquent, The smiles that win, the tints that glow, But tell of days in goodness spent, A mind at peace with all below, A heart whose love is innocent!
I cross till I am weary A Mountain - in my mind - More Mountains - then a Sea - More Seas - And then A Desert - find - And My Horizon blocks With sudden - blinding - Grains Of unconjectured quantity - As Asiatic Rains -
Nor this - defeat my Pace - It hinder from the West But as an Enemy's Salute One hurrying to Rest -
What merit had the Goal - Except there intervene Faint Doubt - and far Competitor - To jeopardize the Gain?
At last - the Grace in sight - I shout unto my feet - I offer them the Whole of Heaven The instant that we meet -
They strive - and yet delay - They stagger - Do we die - Or is this Death's Experiment - Reversed - in Victory?
That I did always love I bring thee Proof That till I loved I never lived - Enough - That I shall love alway - I argue thee That love is life - And life hath Immortality -
This - dost thou doubt - Sweet - Then have I Nothing to show But Calvary.
Death is potential to that Man Who dies - and to his friend - Beyond that - unconspicuous To Anyone but God - Of these Two - God remembers The longest - for the friend - Is integral - and therefore Itself dissolved - of God.
I've seen a Dying Eye Run round and round a Room - In search of Something - as it seemed - Then Cloudier become - And then - obscure with Fog - And then - be soldered down Without disclosing what it be 'Twere blessed to have seen.