1. English

  • You Are Old, Father William

  • You cannot put a Fire out —

    You cannot put a Fire out —

    A Thing that can ignite

    Can go, itself, without a Fan —

    Upon the slowest Night —


    You cannot fold a Flood —

    And put it in a Drawer —

    Because the Winds would find it out —

    And tell your Cedar Floor —

  • You cannot take itself

    You cannot take itself

    From any Human soul —

    That indestructible estate

    Enable him to dwell —

    Impregnable as Light

    That every man behold

    But take away as difficult

    As undiscovered Gold —

  • You dont believe I wont attempt to make ye


    * * *


    You dont believe I wont attempt to make ye

    You are asleep I wont attempt to wake ye

    Sleep on Sleep on while in your pleasant dreams

    Of Reason you may drink of Lifes clear streams
    5 Reason and Newton they...

  • You love the Lord — you cannot see —

    You love the Lord — you cannot see —

    You write Him — every day —

    A little note — when you awake —

    And further in the Day.


    An Ample Letter — How you miss —

    And would delight to see —

    But then His House — is but a Step —

    And Mine's — in Heaven — You see.

  • You said that I "was Great" — one Day —

    You said that I "was Great" — one Day —

    Then "Great" it be — if that please Thee —

    Or Small — or any size at all —

    Nay — I'm the size suit Thee —


    Tall — like the Stag — would that?

    Or lower — like the Wren —

    Or other heights of Other Ones

    I've seen?


    Tell which — it's...

  • You say their Pictures well Painted be

     
    * * *


    You say their Pictures well Painted be

    And yet they are Blockheads you all agree

    Thank God I never was sent to school

    To be Flogd into following the Style of a Fool[4]

  • You see I cannot see — your lifetime —

    You see I cannot see — your lifetime —

    I must guess —

    How many times it ache for me — today — Confess —

    How many times for my far sake

    The brave eyes film —

    But I guess guessing hurts —

    Mine — got so dim!


    Too vague — the face —

    My own — so patient — covets —

    Too...

  • You taught me Waiting with Myself —

    You taught me Waiting with Myself —

    Appointment strictly kept —

    You taught me fortitude of Fate —

    This — also — I have learnt —


    An Altitude of Death, that could

    No bitterer debar

    Than Life — had done — before it —

    Yet — there is a Science more —


    The Heaven you know —...

  • You'll find — it when you try to die —

    You'll find — it when you try to die —

    The Easier to let go —

    For recollecting such as went —

    You could not spare — you know.


    And though their places somewhat filled —

    As did their Marble names

    With Moss — they never grew so full —

    You chose the newer names —


    And when...