Publication—is the Auction

A jar across the flowers goes,Their velvet masonryWithstands until the sweet assaultTheir chivalry consumes,While he, victorious, tilts awayTo vanquish other blooms.His feet are shod with gauze,His helmet is of gold;His breast, a single onyxWith chrysoprase, inlaid.His labor is a chant,His idleness a tune;Oh, for a bee’s experienceOf clovers and of noon!

Three times—He would not go—But strove to stir the lifeless FanThe Waters—strove to stay.Three Times—the Billows tossed me up—Then caught me—like a Ball—Then made Blue faces in my face—And pushed away a sailThat crawled Leagues off—I liked to see—For thinking—while I die—How pleasant to behold a ThingWhere Human faces—be—The Waves grew sleepy—Breath—did not—The Winds—like Children—lulled—Then…

Just felt the world go by!Just girt me for the onset with Eternity,When breath blew back,And on the other sideI heard recede the disappointed tide!Therefore, as One returned, I feelOdd secrets of the line to tell!Some Sailor, skirting foreign shores—Some pale Reporter, from the awful doorsBefore the Seal!Next time, to stay!Next time, the things to…

Not—I—the Earl—I—feared the Sea—too muchUnsanctified—to touch—Praying that I might beWorthy—the Destiny—The Swarthy fellow swam—And bore my Jewel—Home—Home to the Hut! What lotHad I—the Jewel—got—Borne on a Dusky Breasty—I had not deemed a VestOf Amber—fit—The Negro never knewI—wooed it—too—To gain, or be undone—Alike to Him—One—

I cannot climb thee—But, were it Two—Who know but we—Taking turns—at the Chimborazo—Ducal—at last—stand up by thee—Love—thou are deep—I cannot cross thee—But, were there TwoInstead of One—Rower, and Yacht—some sovereign Summer—Who knows—but we’d reach the Sun?Love—thou are Veiled—A few—behold thee—Smile—and alter—and prattle—and die—Bliss—were an Oddity—without thee—Nicknamed by God—Eternity—

‘How doth the busy bee,’‘Dum vivimus vivamus,’I stay mine enemy!Oh ‘veni, vidi, vici!’Oh caput cap-a-pie!And oh ‘memento mori’When I am far from thee!Hurrah for Peter Parley!Hurrah for Daniel Boone!Three cheers, sir, for the gentlemanWho first observed the moon!Peter, put up the sunshine;Patti, arrange the stars;Tell Luna, tea is waiting,And call your brother Mars!Put down the…