DEPROFUNDIS
　　I
　　"Percussussumsicutfoenum，etaruitcormeum。"
　　—Ps。ciWintertimenighs;
　　Butmybereavement—painItcannotbringagain:
　　Twicenoonedies。
　　Flower—petalsflee;
　　But，sinceitoncehathbeen，NomorethatseveringsceneCanharrowme。
　　Birdsfaintindread:
　　IshallnotloseoldstrengthInthelonefrost'sblacklength:
　　Strengthlongsincefled！
　　Leavesfreezetodun;
　　ButfriendscannotturncoldThisseasonasofoldForhimwithnone。
　　Tempestsmayscath;
　　ButlovecannotmakesmartAgainthisyearhisheartWhonohearthath。
　　Blackisnight'scope;
　　ButdeathwillnotappalOnewho，pastdoubtingsall，Waitsinunhope。
　　DEPROFUNDIS
　　II
　　"Considerabamaddexteram，etvidebam;etnoneratquicognosceretmeNonestquirequiratanimammeam。"—Ps。cxli。
　　Whentheclouds'swolnbosomsechobacktheshoutsofthemanyandstrongThatthingsareallastheybestmaybe，saveafewtoberighterelong，Andmyeyeshavenotthevisioninthemtodiscernwhattotheseissoclear，Theblotseemsstraightwayinmealone;onebetterhewerenothere。
　　Thestoutupstanderssay，All'swellwithus:ruershavenoughttorue！
　　Andwhatthepotentsaysooft，canitfailtobesomewhattrue？
　　Breezilygothey，breezilycome;theirdustsmokesaroundtheircareer，TillIthinkIamonehornoutofduetime，whohasnocallinghere。
　　Theirdawnsbringlustyjoys，itseems;theirevesexultancesweet;
　　Ourtimesareblessedtimes，theycry:Lifeshapesitasismostmeet，Andnothingismuchthematter;therearemanysmilestoatear;
　　ThenwhatisthematterisI，Isay。Whyshouldsuchanonebehere？……
　　Lethimtowhoseearsthelow—voicedBestseemsstilledbytheclashoftheFirst，WhoholdsthatifwaytotheBettertherebe，itexactsafulllookattheWorst，Whofeelsthatdelightisadelicategrowthcrampedbycrookedness，custom，andfear，Gethimupandbegoneasoneshapedawry;hedisturbstheorderhere。
　　1895—96。
　　DEPROFUNDIS
　　III
　　"Heumihi，quiaincolatusmeusprolongatusest！HabitavicumhabitantibusCedar;multumincolafuitaniniamea。"—Ps。cxix。
　　TherehavebeentimeswhenIwellmighthavepassedandtheendinghavecome
　　Pointsinmypathwhenthedarkmighthavestolenonme，artless，unrueing
　　EreIhadlearntthattheworldwasawelteroffutiledoing:
　　SuchhadbeentimeswhenIwellmighthavepassed，andtheendinghavecome！
　　Say，onthenoonwhenthehalf—sunnyhourstoldthatAprilwasnigh，AndIupgatheredandcastforththesnowfromthecrocus—border，Fashionedandfurbishedthesoilintoasummer—seemingorder，GlowingingladsomefaiththatIquickenedtheyearthereby。
　　Oronthatloneliestofeveswhenafarandbenightedwestood，ShewhoupheldmeandI，inthemidmostofEgdontogether，ConfidentIinherwatchingandwardthroughtheblackeningheather，Deeminghermatchlessinmightandwithmeasurelessscopeendued。
　　Oronthatwinter—wildnightwhen，reclinedbythechimney—nookquoin，Slowlyadrowseovergatme，thesmallestandfeeblestoffolkthere，Weakfrommybaptismofpain;whenattimesandanonIawokethere
　　Heardofaworldwheelingon，withnolistingorlongingtojoin。
　　Eventhen！whileunweetingthatvisioncouldvexorthatknowledgecouldnumb，Thatsweetstothemouthinthebellyarebitter，andtart，anduntoward，Then，onsomedim—colouredsceneshouldmybrieflyraisedcurtainhavelowered，ThenmighttheVoicethatislawhavesaid"Cease！"andtheendinghavecome。
　　1896。
　　THECHURCH—BUILDER
　　I
　　ThechurchflingsforthabattledshadeOverthemoon—blanchedsward;
　　Thechurch;mygift;wheretoIpaidMyallinhandandhoard:
　　LavishedmygainsWithstintlesspainsToglorifytheLord。
　　II
　　IsquaredthebroadfoundationsinOfashlaredmasonry;
　　Imouldedmullionsthickandthin，Hewedfilletandogee;
　　IcircletedEachsculpturedheadWithnimbandcanopy。
　　III
　　IcalledinmanyacraftsmasterTofixemblazonedglass，TofigureCrossandSepulchreOndossal，boss，andbrass。
　　Mygoldallspent，MyjewelswentTogemthecupsofMass。
　　IV
　　IborroweddeeptocarvethescreenAndraisetheivoriedRood;
　　IpartedwithmysmalldemesneTomakemyowingsgood。
　　Heir—loomsunpricedIsacrificed，Untildebt—freeIstood。
　　V
　　Soclosedthetask。"DeathlesstheCreedHeresubstanced！"saidmysoul:
　　"Iheardmebiddentothisdeed，Andstraightobeyedthecall。
　　Illumethisfane，ThatnotinvainIbuildit，Lordofall！"
　　VI
　　But，asitchancedme，thenandthereDiddiremisfortunesburst;
　　Myhomewentwasteforlackofcare，Mysonsrebelledandcurst;
　　TillIconfessedThataimsthebestWerelookingliketheworst。
　　VII
　　EnkindledbymyvotiveworkNoburningfaithIfind;
　　Thedeeperthinkerssneerandsmirk，Andgivemytoilnomind;
　　FromnodandwinkIreadtheythinkThatIamfoolandblind。
　　VIII
　　MygifttoGodseemsfutile，quite;
　　Theworldmovesaserstwhile;
　　AndpowerfulwrongonfeeblerightTramplesinoldenstyle。
　　Myfaithburnsdown，Iseenocrown;
　　ButCares，andGriefs，andGuile。
　　IX
　　Sonow，theremedy？Yea，this:
　　IgentlyswingthedoorHere，ofmyfane—nosoultowis
　　AndcrossthepatternedfloorTotherood—screenThatstandsbetweenThenaveandinnerchore。