‘Twas comfort in her Dying Room

Who till they died, did not alive become—Who had they lived, had died but whenThey died, Vitality begun.

Lest that should conquer me.I haven’t quite the strength nowTo break it to the Bee—I will not name it in the streetFor shops would stare at me—That one so shy—so ignorantShould have the face to die.The hillsides must not know it—Where I have rambled so—Nor tell the loving forestsThe day that I shall go—Nor lisp…

The mermaids in the basementCame out to look at me.And frigates in the upper floorExtended hempen hands,Presuming me to be a mouseAground, upon the sands.But no man moved me till the tideWent past my simple shoe,And past my apron and my belt,And past my bodice too,And made as he would eat me upAs wholly as…

I, trembling, drew the table nearAnd touched the curious wine.‘T was this on tables I had seenWhen turning, hungry, lone,I looked in windows, for the wealthI could not hope to own.I did not know the ample bread,‘T was so unlike the crumbThe birds and I had often sharedIn Nature’s dining-room.The plenty hurt me, ‘t was…

It measures like the SeaIn mighty—unremitting BassAnd Blue MonotonyTill Hurricane bisectAnd as itself discernsIts sufficient AreaThe Heart convulsive learnsThat Calm is but a WallOf unattempted GauzeAn instant’s Push demolishesA Questioning—dissolves.

We learned to like the FireBy playing Glaciers—when a Boy—And Tinder—guessed—by powerOf Opposite—to balance Odd—If White—a Red—must be!Paralysis—our Primer—dumb—Unto Vitality!