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If I should fail, what poverty!And yet, as poor as I,Have ventured all upon a throw!Have gained! Yes! Hesitated so—This side the Victory!Life is but Life! And Death, but Death!Bliss is, but Bliss, and Breath but Breath!And if indeed I fail,At least, to know the worst, is sweet!Defeat means nothing but Defeat,No drearier, can befall!And…

To see if it was there—I held my spirit to the Glass,To prove it possibler—I turned my Being round and roundAnd paused at every poundTo ask the Owner’s name—For doubt, that I should know the Sound—I judged my features—jarred my hair—I pushed my dimples by, and waited—If they—twinkled back—Conviction might, of me—I told myself, ‘Take…

And go to pieces on the StonesAt bottom of my Mind —Yet blamed the Fate that flung it — lessThan I denounced Myself,For entertaining Plated WaresUpon My Silver Shelf —

The North—Tonight—So adequate—it forms—So preconcerted with itself—So distant—to alarms—And Unconcern so sovereignTo Universe, or me—Infects my simple spiritWith Taints of Majesty—Till I take vaster attitudes—And strut upon my stem—Disdaining Men, and Oxygen,For Arrogance of them—My Splendors, are Menagerie—But their Completeless ShowWill entertain the CenturiesWhen I, am long ago,An Island in dishonored Grass—Whom none but Beetles—know.

Has Anybody found?You’ll know it by the Row of StarsAround its forehead bound.A Rich man—might not notice it—Yet—to my frugal Eye,Of more Esteem than Ducats—Oh find it—Sir—for me!

Eclipse – was all we could see at the WindowAnd Awe – was all we could feel.By and by – the boldest stole out of his CovertTo see if Time was there –Nature was in an Opal Apron,Mixing fresher Air.