Redwerethemyriadcherub-mouthsthatpressed,Amongtheclusters,richwithsong,fullfain,Butdumb,becausethatovermasteringspellOfraptureheldthemdumb:then,hereandthere,Agoldenharploststrings;acrimsonshellBurntgrey;andsheavesoflustrefelltoair。
TheillimitableeagernessofhueBronzed,andthebeamywingedbloomthatflew’Midthosebunchedfruitsandthrongingfiguresfailed。
Agreen-edgedlakeofsaffrontouchedtheblue,Withislesoffirelesspurplelyingthrough:
AndFancyonthatlaketoseeklosttreasuressailed。
Notlongthesilencefollowed:
Thevoicethatissuesfromthybreast,OgloriousSouth-west,Alongthegloom-horizonholloa’d;
WarningthevalleyswithamellowroarThroughflappingwings;thensharpthewoodlandboreAshudderandanoiseofhands:
AthousandhornsfromsomefarvaleInambushsoundingonthegale。
ForthfromtheclovenskycamebandsOfrevel-gatheringspirits;troopingdown,Somerodethetree-tops;someontorncloud-stripsBurstscreamingthro’thelightedtown:
Andscuddingseaward,somefellonbigships:
Ormountingthesea-horsesblewBrightfoam-flakesontheblackreewOfheanghullsandburyingbeaks。
Stillonthefarthestline,withoutpuffedcheeks,’Twtdarkandutterdark,thegreatwinddrewFromheaventhatdisenchantedharmonyTojoinearth’slaughterinthemidnightblind:
BoomingadistantchorustotheshrieksPreludinghim:thenhe,Hismantlestreamingthunderinglybehind,AcrosstheyellowrealmofstiffenedDay,Shotthro’thewoodlandalleyssignalsthree;
AndwiththepressureofaseaPlungedbroaduponthevalethatunderlay。
Nightontherollingfoliagefell:
ButI,wholoveoldhymningnight,AndknowtheDryadvoiceswell,Discernedthemastheirleavestookflight,Likesoulstowanderafterdeath:
Greatarmiesinimperialdyes,Andmadtotreadtheairandrise,ThesavagefreedomoftheskiesTotastebeforetheyrot。Andhere,Likefrailwhite-bodiedgirlsinfear,Thebirchesswungfromshriekstosighs;
Theaspens,laughersatabreath,Inshoweringspray-fallsmedtheircries,Orrakedasavageocean-strandWithoneincessantdrowningscreech。
Herestoodasolitarybeech,Thatgaveitsgoldwithopenhand,Andallitsbranches,toningchill,Didseemtoshuttheirteethrightfast,Toshriekmoremercilesslyshrill,Andmatchthefiercenessoftheblast。
ButheardIalowswellthatnoisedOffar-offocean,Iwas’wareOfpinesupontheirwiderootspoised,WhomnevermadnessintheairCandrawtomorethanloftierstressOfmournfulness,notmournfulnessFormelancholy,butJoy’sexcess,Thatsingingonthelapofsorrowfaints:
AndPeace,asintheheartsofsaintsWhochantuntotheLordtheirGod;
DeepPeacebelowuponthemuffledsod,Thestillnessofthesea’sunswayingfloor,CouldIbesoletherenottoseeThelifewithinthelifeawake;
Thespiritburstingfromthetree,Andrisingfromthetroubledlake?
Pour,letthewinesofHeavenpour!
TheGoldenHarpisstruckoncemore,Andallitsmusicisforme!
Pour,letthewinesofHeavenpour!
And,ho,foranightofPaganglee!
Thereisacurtaino’erus。
Foronce,goodsouls,we’llnotpretendTobeaughtbetterthanherwhoboreus,Andisouronlysiblefriend。
Harktoherlaughter!wholaughslikethis,Canshebedead,orrootedinpain?
Shehasbeenslainbythenarrowbrain,Butforuswholovehershelesagain。
Canshedie?O,takeherkiss!
Thecrimson-footednymphispantinguptheglade,Withthewine-jaratherarm-pit,andthedrunkeny-braidRoundherforehead,breasts,andthighs:startsaSatyr,andtheyspeed:
Hearthecrushingoftheleaves:hearthecrackingofthebough!
Andthewhistlingofthebramble,thepipingoftheweed!
Butthebull-voicedoakisbattlingnow:
Thestormhasseizedhimhalf-asleep,AndroundhimthewildwoodlandthrongsTohearthefuryofhissongs,Theuproarofanoutrageddeep。
HewakestofindawrestlinggiantTrunktotrunkandlimbtolimb,AndonhisrootedforcereliantHelaughsandgraspsthebroadenedgiant,AndtwistandrolltheAnakim;
Andmultitudes,acclaimingtothecloud,Crywhichisbreaking,whichisbowed。
Away,forthecymbalsclashaloftInthecirclesofpine,onthemoss-floorsoft。
Thenymphsofthewoodlandaregatheringthere。
Theyhuddletheleaves,andtrample,andtoss;
Theyswinginthebranches,theyrollinthemoss,Theyblowtheseedontheair。
BacktobacktheystandandblowThewingedseedonthecradlingair,Afountainofleavesoverbosomandback。
ThepipeoftheFauncomesontheirtrackAndthewelteringalleysoverflowWithmusicalshrieksandwind-weddedhair。
Theriotouscompaniesmelttoapair。
Blessthem,motherofkindness!
AstarhasnoddedthroughThedepthsoftheflyingblue。
TimeonlytoplantthelightOfamemoryintheblindness。
ButtimetoshowmethesightOfmylifethro’thecurtainofnight;
Shiningamoment,andmedWiththeonward-hurryingstream,Whosepressureisdarknesstome;
Behindthecurtain,fed,BeamswithendlessbeamThatstaronthechangingsea。
GreatMotherNature!teachme,likethee,Tokisstheseasonandshunregrets。
AndamImorethanthemotherwhobore,Mockmenotwiththyharmony!
Teachmetoblotregrets,GreatMother!meinspireWithfaiththatforwardsetsButfeedsthelingfire,FaiththatneverfretsForvaguenessintheform。
Inlife,Okeepmewarm!
For,whatishumangrief?
Andwhatdomendesire?
Teachmetofeelmyselfthetree,Andnotthewitheredleaf。
FedamIandawaitthedarkto-beAndO,greenbounteousEarth!
BacchanteMother!sterntothoseWholenotinthyheartofmirth;
DeathshallIshrinkfrom,longthee?
Intothebreastthatgestherose,ShallIwithshudderingfall?
Earth,themotherofall,Movesonherstedfastway,Gathering,flinging,sowing。
Mortals,weleinherday,Sheinherchildrenisgrowing。
Shecanleadus,onlyshe,UntoGod’sfootstool,whithershereaches:
Loved,enjoyed,hergiftsmustbe,Reverencedthetruthssheteaches,EreamanmayhopethatheEvercanattainthegleeOfthingswithoutadestiny!
Sheknowsnotloss:
Shefeelsbutherneed,WhothewingedseedWiththeleafdothtoss。
Andmaynotmentothisattain?
Thatthejoyofmotion,theraptureofbeing,Shallthrowstronglightwhenourseasonisfleeing,Norquickenagedbloodinvain,Atthegatesofthevault,onthevergeoftheplain?
Lifethoroughlyledisafactinthebrain,Whileeyesareleftforseeing。
Behold,inyonstrippedAutumn,sheringgrey,Earthknowsnodesolation。
ShesmellsregenerationInthemoistbreathofdecay。
Propheticofthecomingjoyandstrife,Likethewildwesternwar-chiefsinkingCalmtotheendheeyesunblinking,Hervoiceisjubilantinebbinglife。
Heforhishappyhunting-fieldsForgetsthedroningchant,andyieldsHisnumberedbreathstoexultationIntheproudanticipation:
Shoutingthegloriesofhisnation,Shoutingthegrandeurofhisrace,Shoutinghisowngreatdeedsofdaring:
Andwhenatlastdeathgraspshisface,AndstiffenedonthegroundinpeaceHelieswithallhispaintedterrorsglaring;
Hushedarethetribetohearathreadingcry:
Notfromthedeadman;
Notfromthestanders-by:
ThespiritoftheredmanIswelcomedbyhisfathersuponhigh。
Thereshegoesupthestreetwithherbookinherhand,AndherGoodmorning,Martin!Ay,lass,howd’yedo?
Verywell,thankyou,Martin!——Ican’tunderstand!
Imightjustaswellneverhavecobbledashoe!
Ican’tunderstandit。Shetalkslikeasong;
Hervoicetakesyourearliketheringofaglass;
Sheseemstogegladnesswhilelimpingalong,Yetsinnerne’ersuffer’dlikethatlittlelass。
First,afoolofaboyranherdownwithacart。
Then,herfoolofafather——ablacksmithbytrade-
Whythedeucedoeshetellusithalfbrokehisheart?
Hisheart!——where’sthelegofthepoorlittlemaid!
Well,that’snotenough;theymustpushherdownstairs,Tomakehergocrooked:butwhycountthelist?
Ifit’srighttosupposethatourhumanaffairsAreallorder’dbyheaven——there,banggoesmyfist!
Forifangelscanlookonsuchsights——nevermind!
Whenyou’renexttoblaspheming,it’sbesttobemum。
Theparsondeclaresthatherwoesweren’tdesigned;
But,then,withtheparsonit’sallkingdom-come。
Losealeg,saveasoul——aconvenienttext;
IcallitTeadoctrine,notsavouringofGod。
WhenpoorlittleMollywants’chastening,’why,nextTheArchangelMichaelmighttasteoftherod。
But,toseethepoordarlinggolimpingformilesToreadbookstosickpeople!——andjustofanageWhengirlslearnthemeaningofribandsandsmiles!
Makesmefeellikeasquirrelthatturnsinacage。
ThemoreIpushthinkingthemoreIrevolve:
Inevergetfarther:-andastoherface,ItstartsupwhennearonmypuzzleIsolve,Andsays,’Thiscrush’dbodyseemssuchasadcase。’
Notthatshe’sforcomplaining:shereadstoearnpence;
Andfromthosewhocan’tpay,simplethanksareenough。
Doessheleavelamentationforchapswithoutsense?
Howsoever,she’smadeupofwonderfulstuff。
Ay,thesoulinherbodymustbeastoutcord;
Shesingslittlehymnsatthecloseoftheday,ThoughshehasbutthreefingerstolifttotheLord,Andonlyonelegtokneeldownwithtopray。
WhatIaskis,Whypersecutesuchapoordear,Ifthere’sLawaboveall?Answerthatifyoucan!
IrreligiousI’mnot;butIlookonthissphereAsaplacewhereamanshouldjustthinklikeaman。
Itisn’tfairdealing!But,contrariwise,Dobulletsinbattlethewickedselect?
Why,thenit’sallchance-work!Andyet,inhereyes,SheholdsafedsomethingbywhichIamchecked。
Yonderribandofsunshineaslopeonthewall,Ifyoueyeitaminute’llhavethesamelook:
Sokind!andsomerciful!Godofusall!
It’stheverysamelessonwegetfromtheBook。
Then,isLifebutatrial?Isthatwhatismeant?
Somemusttoil,andsomeperish,forothersbelow:
Theinjusticetoeachspreadsacommoncontent;
Ay!I’velostitagain,foritcan’tbequiteso。
She’sthectimoffools:thatseemsnearerthemark。
Onearththereareenginesandnumerousfools。
WhytheLordcanpermitthem,we’restillinthedark;
Hedoes,andinsomesortofwaythey’reHistools。
It’saroundaboutway,withrespectletmeadd,IfMollygoescrippledthatwemaybetaught:
But,perhaps,it’stheonlyway,thoughit’ssobad;
Inthatcasewe’llbowdownourheads,——asweought。
ButtheworstofMEis,thatwhenIbowmyhead,Iperceeathoughtwrigglingawayinthedust,AndIfollowitstracks,quiteforgetful,insteadOfhumbleacceptance:for,questionImust!
Here’sacreaturemadecarefully——carefullymade!
Puttogetherwithcraft,andthenstampedon,andwhy?
Theanswerseemsnowhere:it’sdiscordthat’splayed。