When Diamonds are a Legend, And Diadems - a Tale - I Brooch and Earrings for Myself, Do sow, and Raise for sale - And tho' I'm scarce accounted, My Art, a Summer Day - had Patrons - Once - it was a Queen - And once - a Butterfly.
There is a Languor of the Life More imminent than Pain - 'Tis Pain's Successor - When the Soul Has suffered all it can - A Drowsiness - diffuses - A Dimness like a Fog Envelops Consciousness - As Mists - obliterate a Crag.
The Surgeon - does not blanch - at pain His Habit - is severe - But tell him that it ceased to feel - The Creature lying there -
And he will tell you - skill is late - A Mightier than He - Has ministered before Him - There's no Vitality.
Reverse cannot befall That fine Prosperity Whose Sources are interior - As soon - Adversity A Diamond - overtake In far - Bolivian Ground - Misfortune hath no implement Could mar it - if it found -.
'Twas Love - not me - Oh punish - pray - The Real one died for Thee - Just Him - not me - Such Guilt - to love Thee - most! Doom it beyond the Rest - Forgive it - last - 'Twas base as Jesus - most!
Let Justice not mistake - We Two - looked so alike - Which was the Guilty Sake - 'Twas Love's - Now Strike!
Did Our Best Moment last - 'Twould supersede the Heaven - A few - and they by Risk - procure - So this Sort - are not given - Except as stimulants - in Cases of Despair - Or Stupor - The Reserve - These Heavenly Moments are -
A Grant of the Divine - That Certain as it Comes - Withdraws - and leaves the dazzled Soul In her unfurnished Rooms.
Through the Dark Sod - as Education - The Lily passes sure - Feels her white foot - no trepidation - Her faith - no fear - Afterward - in the Meadow - Swinging her Beryl Bell - The Mold-life - all forgotten - now - In Extasy - and Dell -.
A Visitor in Marl - Who influences Flowers - Till they are orderly as Busts - And Elegant - as Glass - Who visits in the Night - And just before the Sun - Concludes his glistening interview - Caresses - and is gone -
But whom his fingers touched - And where his feet have run - And whatsoever Mouth be kissed - Is as it had not been -.
It's coming - the postponeless Creature - It gains the Block - and now - it gains the Door - Chooses it's latch, from all the other fastenings - Enters - with a "You know Me - Sir"? Simple Salute - and certain Recognition - Bold - were it Enemy - Brief - were it friend - Dresses each House in Crape, and Icicle - And Carries one - out of it - to God -.
There's been a Death, in the Opposite House, As lately as Today - I know it, by the numb look Such Houses have - alway - The Neighbors rustle in and out - The Doctor - drives away - A Window opens like a Pod - Abrupt - mechanically -
Somebody flings a Mattrass out - The Children hurry by - They wonder if it died - on that - I used to - when a Boy -
The Minister - goes stiffly in - As if the House were His - And He owned all the Mourners - now - And little Boys - besides -
And then the Milliner - and the Man Of the Appalling Trade - To take the measure of the House -
There'll be that Dark Parade -
Of Tassels - and of Coaches - soon - It's easy as a Sign - The Intuition of the News - In just a Country Town -.
Take your Heaven further on - This - to Heaven divine Has gone - Had You earlier blundered in Possibly, e'en You had seen An Eternity - put on - Now - to ring a Door beyond Is the utmost of Your Hand - To the Skies - apologize - Nearer to Your Courtesies Than this Sufferer polite - Dressed to meet You - See - in White!