• How ruthless are the gentle —

    How cruel are the kind —

    God broke his contract to his Lamb

    To qualify the Wind —

  • How sick — to wait — in any place — but thine —

    I knew last night — when someone tried to twine —

    Thinking — perhaps — that I looked tired — or alone —

    Or breaking — almost — with unspoken pain —


    And I turned — ducal —

    That right — was thine —

    One port — suffices — for a Brig — like mine —
    ...

  • How soft a Caterpillar steps —

    I find one on my Hand

    From such a velvet world it comes

    Such plushes at command

    Its soundless travels just arrest

    My slow — terrestrial eye

    Intent upon its own career

    What use has it for me —

  • How soft this Prison is

    How sweet these sullen bars

    No Despot but the King of Down

    Invented this repose


    Of Fate if this is All

    Has he no added Realm

    A Dungeon but a Kinsman is

    Incarceration — Home.

  • "Aye," said the boozer, "I tell you it's true, sir,

    I once was a punter with plenty of pelf,

    But gone is my glory, I'll tell you the story

    How I stiffened my horse and got stiffened myself.


    "'Twas a mare called the Cracker, I came down to back her,

    But found she was favourite all of a rush,

    The...

  • How the old Mountains drip with Sunset

    How the Hemlocks burn —

    How the Dun Brake is draped in Cinder

    By the Wizard Sun —


    How the old Steeples hand the Scarlet

    Till the Ball is full —

    Have I the lip of the Flamingo

    That I dare to tell?


    Then, how the Fire ebbs like...

  • How the Waters closed above Him

    We shall never know —

    How He stretched His Anguish to us

    That — is covered too —


    Spreads the Pond Her Base of Lilies

    Bold above the Boy

    Whose unclaimed Hat and Jacket

    Sum the History —

  • How well I knew Her not

    Whom not to know has been

    A Bounty in prospective, now

    Next Door to mine the Pain.

  • Eternal power of earth and air,

    Unseen, yet seen in all around,

    Remote, but dwelling everywhere,

    Though silent, heard in every sound.

    If e'er thine ear in mercy bent

    When wretched mortals cried to thee,

    And if indeed thy Son was sent

    To save lost sinners such as me.


    Then...