Because thou hast the power and own’st the grace
To look through and behind this mask of me,
(Against which, years have beat thus blanchingly
With their rains,) and behold my soul’s true face,
The dim and weary witness of life’s race,—
Because thou hast the faith and love to see,
Through that same soul’s distracting lethargy,
The patient...
-
-
Because 'twas Riches I could own,
Myself had earned it — Me,
I knew the Dollars by their names —
It feels like Poverty
An Earldom out of sight to hold,
An Income in the Air,
Possession — has a sweeter chink
Unto a Miser's Ear — -
Because He loves Her
We will pry and see if she is fair
What difference is on her Face
From Features others wear.
It will not harm her magic pace
That we so far behind —
Her Distances propitiate
As Forests touch the Wind
Not hoping for his notice vast
But...Because I could not stop for Death—
He kindly stopped for me—
The Carriage held but just Ourselves—
And Immortality.
We slowly drove—He knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility—
We passed the School, where Children strove
...Because my Brook is fluent
I know 'tis dry —
Because my Brook is silent
It is the Sea —
And startled at its rising
I try to flee
To where the Strong assure me
Is "no more Sea" —Because that you are going
And never coming back
And I, however absolute,
May overlook your Track —
Because that Death is final,
However first it be,
This instant be suspended
Above Mortality —
Significance that each has lived
The other to detect
...Because the Bee may blameless hum
For Thee a Bee do I become
List even unto Me.
Because the Flowers unafraid
May lift a look on thine, a Maid
Alway a Flower would be.
Nor Robins, Robins need not hide
When Thou upon their Crypts intrude
So Wings bestow on Me
...Good night, because we must,
How intricate the dust!
I would go, to know!
Oh incognito!
Saucy, Saucy Seraph
To elude me so!
Father! they won't tell me,
Won't you tell them to?I rose — because He sank —
I thought it would be opposite —
But when his power dropped —
My Soul grew straight.
I cheered my fainting Prince —
I sang firm — even — Chants —
I helped his Film — with Hymn —
And when the Dews drew off
That held his Forehead stiff —
...We lose — because we win —
Gamblers — recollecting which
Toss their dice again!