Oh, what a night for a soul to go!
The wind a hawk, and the fields in snow;
No screening cover of leaves in the wood,
Nor a star abroad the way to show.
Do they part in peace,—soul with its clay?
Tenant and landlord, what do they say?
Was it sigh of sorrow or of release
I heard just now as the face turned gray?
What if, aghast...
I
the bells
awake! Awake!
All living things that be,
In nest or fold!—
All lives that solace take,
And dreamful ease, in tent, or wind-blown tree,
Or curtained couch, your wanderings forsake
In the dim realms of unreality!
Awake, for shame
Of languor’s soft delight!
Lo, once...
Flower of youth, in the ancient frame—
Maid of the mettlesome lip and eye,
Lightly wearing the fateful name,
And the rakish beaver of days gone by!
Pink of fashion! Yet this is she
That once, through midnight forest and fen,
Guided the horsemen of “Old Santee,”
And rode to the death with Marion’s men.
Rare the picture...
Shepherd, wilt thou take counsel of the bird
That oft hath hearkened, from this leafy lair,
To love’s entreaty, and the parting word?—
Sue not so humbly to the haughty fair.
Pipe in her praise upon thine oaten straw,
And pipe the louder when she says thee nay;
Swear that her lightest wish to thee is law,
But break the law twice twenty...
A cloud possessed the hollow field,
The gathering battle’s smoky shield.
Athwart the gloom the lightning flashed,
And through the cloud some horsemen dashed,
And from the heights the thunder pealed.
Then at the brief command of Lee
Moved out that matchless infantry,
With Pickett leading grandly down,
To rush against the roaring...
O lifted face of mute appeal!
Poor tongueless pantomime of prayer!
O sullen sea, whose deeps conceal
The children of despair!
O heart that will not look above!
Poor staggering feet that seek the wave!
I would come quick, if I were Love,
And I had power to save.
O sinking sunset loneliness
Aflame in hot,...
Hark!…
what booming
Faints on the high-strung ear?
Through the damp woods (so dark
No flowers are blooming)
I hear, I hear
The twang of harps, the leap
Of hairy feet, and know the revel’s ripe,
While, like a coral stripe,
The lizard cool doth creep,
Monster, but monarch there, up the pale Indian Pipe.
...
What then, what if my lips do burn,
Husband, husband;
What though thou see’st my red lips burn,
Why look’st thou with a look so stern,
Husband?
It was the keen wind through the reed,
Husband, husband:
’T was wind made sharp with sword-edge reed
That made my tender lips to bleed,
Husband....
I
no! no!
Bird in the darkness singing,
I will not forget!
Trill me thy tender lay again,—
Thy song of passion and of pain;
Set all the sweet vale ringing
With thy canzonet.
Cling to thy branch, O bird, and cry,
“Love me, my love, or let me die!”
With ecstasy I hear thee...
Sweet-breathed and young,
The people’s daughter,
No nerves unstrung,
Going to slaughter!
“Good morning, friends,
You ’ll love us better,—
Make us amends:
We ’ve burst your fetter!
“How the sun gleams!
(Women are snarling):
Give me your beams,
Liberty’s darling!
“Marie ’s my name;...
