Rid of the world’s injustice, and his pain,
He rests at last beneath God’s veil of blue:
Taken from life when life and love were new
The youngest of the martyrs here is lain,
Fair as Sebastian, and as early slain.
No cypress shades his grave, no funeral yew,
But gentle violets weeping with the...
How fortunate the Grave —
All Prizes to obtain —
Successful certain, if at last,
First Suitor not in vain.
I know of people in the Grave
Who would be very glad
To know the news I know tonight
If they the chance had had.
'Tis this expands the least event
And swells the scantest deed —
My right to walk upon the Earth
If they this moment had.
I see thee clearer for the Grave
That took thy face between
No Mirror could illumine thee
Like that impassive stone —
I know thee better for the Act
That made thee first unknown
The stature of the empty nest
Attests the Bird that's gone.
It was a Grave, yet bore no Stone
Enclosed 'twas not of Rail
A Consciousness its Acre, and
It held a Human Soul.
Entombed by whom, for what offence
If Home or Foreign born —
Had I the curiosity
'Twere not appeased of men
Till Resurrection, I must guess
...
Not any higher stands the Grave
For Heroes than for Men —
Not any nearer for the Child
Than numb Three Score and Ten —
This latest Leisure equal lulls
The Beggar and his Queen
Propitiate this Democrat
A Summer's Afternoon —
The Color of the Grave is Green —
The Outer Grave — I mean —
You would not know it from the Field —
Except it own a Stone —
To help the fond — to find it —
Too infinite asleep
To stop and tell them where it is —
But just a Daisy — deep —
The Color of the Grave is white...
The grave my little cottage is,
Where "Keeping house" for thee
I make my parlor orderly
And lay the marble tea.
For two divided, briefly,
A cycle, it may be,
Till everlasting life unite
In strong society.
The Stimulus, beyond the Grave
His Countenance to see
Supports me like imperial Drams
Afforded Day by Day.
Those who have been in the Grave the longest —
Those who begin Today —
Equally perish from our Practise —
Death is the other way —
Foot of the Bold did least attempt it —
It — is the White Exploit —
Once to achieve, annuls the power
Once to communicate —