The Whole of it came not at once —
'Twas Murder by degrees —
A Thrust — and then for Life a chance —
The Bliss to cauterize —
The Cat reprieves the Mouse
She eases from her teeth
Just long enough for Hope to tease —
Then mashes it to death —
'Tis Life's award — to die...
She rose to his requirement, dropped
The playthings of her life
To take the honorable work
Of woman and of wife.
If aught she missed in her new day
Of amplitude, or awe,
Or first prospective, or the gold
In...
As if some caravan of sound
On deserts, in the sky,
Had broken rank,
Then knit, and passed
In seamless company.
The Wind didn't come from the Orchard — today —
Further than that —
Nor stop to play with the Hay —
Nor joggle a Hat —
He's a transitive fellow — very —
Rely on that —
If He leave a Bur at the door
We know He has climbed a Fir —
But the Fir is Where — Declare —
...
The wind drew off
Like hungry dogs
Defeated of a bone —
Through fissures in
Volcanic cloud
The yellow lightning shone —
The trees held up
Their mangled limbs
Like animals in pain —
When Nature falls upon herself
Beware an Austrian.
The Wind took up the Northern Things
And piled them in the south —
Then gave the East unto the West
And opening his mouth
The four Divisions of the Earth
Did make as to devour
While everything to corners slunk
Behind the awful power —
The Wind — unto his Chambers went...
The Wind — tapped like a tired Man —
And like a Host — "Come in"
I boldly answered — entered then
My Residence within
A Rapid — footless Guest —
To offer whom a Chair
Were as impossible as hand
A Sofa to the Air —
No Bone had He to bind Him —
His Speech was...
THE WINTER NOSEGAY.
What Nature, alas! has denied
To the delicate growth of our isle,
Art has in a measure supplied,
And Winter is deck'd with a smile.
See, Mary, what beauties I bring
From the shelter of that sunny shed,
Where...
The Winters are so short —
I'm hardly justified
In sending all the Birds away —
And moving into Pod —
Myself — for scarcely settled —
The Phoebes have begun —
And then — it's time to strike my Tent —
And open House — again —
It's mostly, interruptions —
My...