Poems by Emily Dickinson | ||
99
III.
NATURE.
101
I.
NATURE'S CHANGES.
The springtime's pallid landscape
Will glow like bright bouquet,
Though drifted deep in parian
The village lies to-day.
Will glow like bright bouquet,
Though drifted deep in parian
The village lies to-day.
The lilacs, bending many a year,
With purple load will hang;
The bees will not forget the tune
Their old forefathers sang.
With purple load will hang;
The bees will not forget the tune
Their old forefathers sang.
The rose will redden in the bog,
The aster on the hill
Her everlasting fashion set,
And covenant gentians frill,
The aster on the hill
Her everlasting fashion set,
And covenant gentians frill,
Till summer folds her miracle
As women do their gown,
Or priests adjust the symbols
When sacrament is done.
As women do their gown,
Or priests adjust the symbols
When sacrament is done.
102
II.
THE TULIP.
She slept beneath a treeRemembered but by me.
I touched her cradle mute;
She recognized the foot,
Put on her carmine suit,—
And see!
103
[III. A light exists in spring]
A light exists in spring
Not present on the year
At any other period.
When March is scarcely here
Not present on the year
At any other period.
When March is scarcely here
A color stands abroad
On solitary hills
That science cannot overtake,
But human nature feels.
On solitary hills
That science cannot overtake,
But human nature feels.
It waits upon the lawn;
It shows the furthest tree
Upon the furthest slope we know;
It almost speaks to me.
It shows the furthest tree
Upon the furthest slope we know;
It almost speaks to me.
Then, as horizons step,
Or noons report away,
Without the formula of sound,
It passes, and we stay:
Or noons report away,
Without the formula of sound,
It passes, and we stay:
104
A quality of loss
Affecting our content,
As trade had suddenly encroached
Upon a sacrament.
Affecting our content,
As trade had suddenly encroached
Upon a sacrament.
105
IV.
THE WAKING YEAR.
A lady red upon the hill
Her annual secret keeps;
A lady white within the field
In placid lily sleeps!
Her annual secret keeps;
A lady white within the field
In placid lily sleeps!
The tidy breezes with their brooms
Sweep vale, and hill, and tree!
Prithee, my pretty housewives!
Who may expected be?
Sweep vale, and hill, and tree!
Prithee, my pretty housewives!
Who may expected be?
The neighbors do not yet suspect!
The woods exchange a smile—
Orchard, and buttercup, and bird—
In such a little while!
The woods exchange a smile—
Orchard, and buttercup, and bird—
In such a little while!
And yet how still the landscape stands,
How nonchalant the wood,
As if the resurrection
Were nothing very odd!
How nonchalant the wood,
As if the resurrection
Were nothing very odd!
106
V.
TO MARCH.
Dear March, come in!
How glad I am!
I looked for you before.
Put down your hat—
You must have walked—
How out of breath you are!
Dear March, how are you?
And the rest?
Did you leave Nature well?
Oh, March, come right upstairs with me,
I have so much to tell!
How glad I am!
I looked for you before.
Put down your hat—
You must have walked—
How out of breath you are!
Dear March, how are you?
And the rest?
Did you leave Nature well?
Oh, March, come right upstairs with me,
I have so much to tell!
I got your letter, and the birds';
The maples never knew
That you were coming,—I declare,
How red their faces grew!
But, March, forgive me—
And all those hills
You left for me to hue;
There was no purple suitable,
You took it all with you.
The maples never knew
That you were coming,—I declare,
How red their faces grew!
But, March, forgive me—
And all those hills
107
There was no purple suitable,
You took it all with you.
Who knocks? That April!
Lock the door!
I will not be pursued!
He stayed away a year, to call
When I am occupied.
But trifles look so trivial
As soon as you have come,
That blame is just as dear as praise
And praise as mere as blame.
Lock the door!
I will not be pursued!
He stayed away a year, to call
When I am occupied.
But trifles look so trivial
As soon as you have come,
That blame is just as dear as praise
And praise as mere as blame.
108
VI.
MARCH.
We like March, his shoes are purple,He is new and high;
Makes he mud for dog and peddler,
Makes he forest dry;
Knows the adder's tongue his coming,
And begets her spot.
Stands the sun so close and mighty
That our minds are hot.
News is he of all the others;
Bold it were to die
With the blue-birds buccaneering
On his British sky.
109
VII.
DAWN.
Not knowing when the dawn will comeI open every door;
Or has it feathers like a bird,
Or billows like a shore?
110
[VIII. A murmur in the trees to note]
A murmur in the trees to note,
Not loud enough for wind;
A star not far enough to seek,
Nor near enough to find;
Not loud enough for wind;
A star not far enough to seek,
Nor near enough to find;
A long, long yellow on the lawn,
A hubbub as of feet;
Not audible, as ours to us,
But dapperer, more sweet;
A hubbub as of feet;
Not audible, as ours to us,
But dapperer, more sweet;
A hurrying home of little men
To houses unperceived,—
All this, and more, if I should tell,
Would never be believed.
To houses unperceived,—
All this, and more, if I should tell,
Would never be believed.
Of robins in the trundle bed
How many I espy
Whose nightgowns could not hide the wings,
Although I heard them try!
How many I espy
Whose nightgowns could not hide the wings,
Although I heard them try!
111
But then I promised ne'er to tell;
How could I break my word?
So go your way and I'll go mine,—
No fear you'll miss the road.
How could I break my word?
So go your way and I'll go mine,—
No fear you'll miss the road.
112
[IX. Morning is the place for dew]
Morning is the place for dew,Corn is made at noon,
After dinner light for flowers,
Dukes for setting sun!
113
[X. To my quick ear the leaves conferred]
To my quick ear the leaves conferred;
The bushes they were bells;
I could not find a privacy
From Nature's sentinels.
The bushes they were bells;
I could not find a privacy
From Nature's sentinels.
In cave if I presumed to hide,
The walls began to tell;
Creation seemed a mighty crack
To make me visible.
The walls began to tell;
Creation seemed a mighty crack
To make me visible.
114
XI.
A ROSE.
A sepal, petal, and a thornUpon a common summer's morn,
A flash of dew, a bee or two,
A breeze
A caper in the trees,—
And I'm a rose!
115
[XII. High from the earth I heard a bird]
High from the earth I heard a bird;He trod upon the trees
As he esteemed them trifles,
And then he spied a breeze,
And situated softly
Upon a pile of wind
Which in a perturbation
Nature had left behind.
A joyous-going fellow
I gathered from his talk,
Which both of benediction
And badinage partook,
Without apparent burden,
I learned, in leafy wood
He was the faithful father
Of a dependent brood;
And this untoward transport
His remedy for care,—
A contrast to our respites.
How different we are!
116
XIII.
COBWEBS.
The spider as an artist
Has never been employed
Though his surpassing merit
Is freely certified
Has never been employed
Though his surpassing merit
Is freely certified
By every broom and Bridget
Throughout a Christian land.
Neglected son of genius,
I take thee by the hand.
Throughout a Christian land.
Neglected son of genius,
I take thee by the hand.
117
XIV.
A WELL.
What mystery pervades a well!
The water lives so far,
Like neighbor from another world
Residing in a jar.
The water lives so far,
Like neighbor from another world
Residing in a jar.
The grass does not appear afraid;
I often wonder he
Can stand so close and look so bold
At what is dread to me.
I often wonder he
Can stand so close and look so bold
At what is dread to me.
Related somehow they may be,—
The sedge stands next the sea,
Where he is floorless, yet of fear
No evidence gives he.
The sedge stands next the sea,
Where he is floorless, yet of fear
No evidence gives he.
But nature is a stranger yet;
The ones that cite her most
Have never passed her haunted house,
Nor simplified her ghost.
The ones that cite her most
Have never passed her haunted house,
Nor simplified her ghost.
118
To pity those that know her not
Is helped by the regret
That those who know her, know her less
The nearer her they get.
Is helped by the regret
That those who know her, know her less
The nearer her they get.
119
[XV. To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee]
To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,—One clover, and a bee,
And revery.
The revery alone will do
If bees are few.
120
XVI.
THE WIND.
It's like the light,—
A fashionless delight
It's like the bee,—
A dateless melody.
A fashionless delight
It's like the bee,—
A dateless melody.
It's like the woods,
Private like breeze,
Phraseless, yet it stirs
The proudest trees.
Private like breeze,
Phraseless, yet it stirs
The proudest trees.
It's like the morning,—
Best when it's done,—
The everlasting clocks
Chime noon.
Best when it's done,—
The everlasting clocks
Chime noon.
121
[XVII. A dew sufficed itself]
A dew sufficed itself
And satisfied a leaf,
And felt, ‘how vast a destiny!
How trivial is life!’
And satisfied a leaf,
And felt, ‘how vast a destiny!
How trivial is life!’
The sun went out to work,
The day went out to play,
But not again that dew was seen
By physiognomy.
The day went out to play,
But not again that dew was seen
By physiognomy.
Whether by day abducted,
Or emptied by the sun
Into the sea, in passing,
Eternally unknown.
Or emptied by the sun
Into the sea, in passing,
Eternally unknown.
122
XVIII.
THE WOODPECKER.
His bill an auger is,His head, a cap and frill.
He laboreth at every tree,—
A worm his utmost goal.
123
XIX.
A SNAKE.
Sweet is the swamp with its secrets,Until we meet a snake;
'T is then we sigh for houses,
And our departure take
At that enthralling gallop
That only childhood knows.
A snake is summer's treason,
And guile is where it goes.
124
[XX. Could I but ride indefinite]
Could I but ride indefinite,
As doth the meadow-bee,
And visit only where I liked,
And no man visit me,
As doth the meadow-bee,
And visit only where I liked,
And no man visit me,
And flirt all day with buttercups,
And marry whom I may,
And dwell a little everywhere,
Or better, run away
And marry whom I may,
And dwell a little everywhere,
Or better, run away
With no police to follow,
Or chase me if I do,
Till I should jump peninsulas
To get away from you,—
Or chase me if I do,
Till I should jump peninsulas
To get away from you,—
I said, but just to be a bee
Upon a raft of air,
And row in nowhere all day long,
And anchor off the bar,—
What liberty! So captives deem
Who tight in dungeons are.
Upon a raft of air,
And row in nowhere all day long,
And anchor off the bar,—
What liberty! So captives deem
Who tight in dungeons are.
125
XXI.
THE MOON.
The moon was but a chin of gold
A night or two ago,
And now she turns her perfect face
Upon the world below.
A night or two ago,
And now she turns her perfect face
Upon the world below.
Her forehead is of amplest blond;
Her cheek like beryl stone;
Her eye unto the summer dew
The likest I have known.
Her cheek like beryl stone;
Her eye unto the summer dew
The likest I have known.
Her lips of amber never part;
But what must be the smile
Upon her friend she could bestow
Were such her silver will!
But what must be the smile
Upon her friend she could bestow
Were such her silver will!
And what a privilege to be
But the remotest star!
For certainly her way might pass
Beside your twinkling door.
But the remotest star!
For certainly her way might pass
Beside your twinkling door.
126
Her bonnet is the firmament,
The universe her shoe,
The stars the trinkets at her belt,
Her dimities of blue.
The universe her shoe,
The stars the trinkets at her belt,
Her dimities of blue.
127
XXII.
THE BAT.
The bat is dun with wrinkled wings
Like fallow article,
And not a song pervades his lips,
Or none perceptible.
Like fallow article,
And not a song pervades his lips,
Or none perceptible.
His small umbrella, quaintly halved,
Describing in the air
An arc alike inscrutable,—
Elate philosopher!
Describing in the air
An arc alike inscrutable,—
Elate philosopher!
Deputed from what firmament
Of what astute abode,
Empowered with what malevolence
Auspiciously withheld.
Of what astute abode,
Empowered with what malevolence
Auspiciously withheld.
To his adroit Creator
Ascribe no less the praise;
Beneficent, believe me,
His eccentricities.
Ascribe no less the praise;
Beneficent, believe me,
His eccentricities.
128
XXIII.
THE BALLOON.
You've seen balloons set, have n't you?
So stately they ascend
It is as swans discarded you
For duties diamond.
So stately they ascend
It is as swans discarded you
For duties diamond.
Their liquid feet go softly out
Upon a sea of blond;
They spurn the air as 'twere too mean
For creatures so renowned.
Upon a sea of blond;
They spurn the air as 'twere too mean
For creatures so renowned.
Their ribbons just beyond the eye,
They struggle some for breath,
And yet the crowd applauds below;
They would not encore death.
They struggle some for breath,
And yet the crowd applauds below;
They would not encore death.
The gilded creature strains and spins,
Trips frantic in a tree,
Tears open her imperial veins
And tumbles in the sea.
Trips frantic in a tree,
Tears open her imperial veins
And tumbles in the sea.
129
The crowd retire with an oath
The dust in streets goes down,
And clerks in counting-rooms observe,
‘'T was only a balloon.’
The dust in streets goes down,
And clerks in counting-rooms observe,
‘'T was only a balloon.’
130
XXIV.
EVENING.
The cricket sang,
And set the sun,
And workmen finished, one by one,
Their seam the day upon.
And set the sun,
And workmen finished, one by one,
Their seam the day upon.
The low grass loaded with the dew,
The twilight stood as strangers do
With hat in hand, polite and new,
To stay as if, or go.
The twilight stood as strangers do
With hat in hand, polite and new,
To stay as if, or go.
A vastness, as a neighbor, came,—
A wisdom without face or name,
A peace, as hemispheres at home,—
And so the night became.
A wisdom without face or name,
A peace, as hemispheres at home,—
And so the night became.
131
XXV.
COCOON.
Drab habitation of whom?Tabernacle or tomb,
Or dome of worm,
Or porch of gnome,
Or some elf's catacomb?
132
XXVI.
SUNSET.
A sloop of amber slips awayUpon an ether sea,
And wrecks in peace a purple tar,
The son of ecstasy.
133
XXVII.
AURORA.
Of bronze and blaze
The north, to-night!
So adequate its forms,
So preconcerted with itself,
So distant to alarms,—
An unconcern so sovereign
To universe, or me,
It paints my simple spirit
With tints of majesty,
Till I take vaster attitudes,
And strut upon my stem,
Disdaining men and oxygen,
For arrogance of them.
The north, to-night!
So adequate its forms,
So preconcerted with itself,
So distant to alarms,—
An unconcern so sovereign
To universe, or me,
It paints my simple spirit
With tints of majesty,
Till I take vaster attitudes,
And strut upon my stem,
Disdaining men and oxygen,
For arrogance of them.
My splendors are menagerie;
But their competeless show
Will entertain the centuries
When I am, long ago,
And island in dishonored grass,
Whom none but daisies know.
But their competeless show
Will entertain the centuries
When I am, long ago,
And island in dishonored grass,
Whom none but daisies know.
134
XXVIII.
THE COMING OF NIGHT.
How the old mountains drip with sunset,
And the brake of dun!
How the hemlocks are tipped in tinsel
By the wizard sun!
And the brake of dun!
How the hemlocks are tipped in tinsel
By the wizard sun!
How the old steeples hand the scarlet,
Till the ball is full,—
Have I the lip of the flamingo
That I dare to tell?
Till the ball is full,—
Have I the lip of the flamingo
That I dare to tell?
Then, how the fire ebbs like billows,
Touching all the grass
With a departing, sapphire feature,
As if a duchess pass!
Touching all the grass
With a departing, sapphire feature,
As if a duchess pass!
How a small dusk crawls on the village
Till the houses blot;
And the odd flambeaux no men carry
Glimmer on the spot!
Till the houses blot;
And the odd flambeaux no men carry
Glimmer on the spot!
135
Now it is night in nest and kennel,
And where was the wood,
Just a dome of abyss is nodding
Into solitude!—
And where was the wood,
Just a dome of abyss is nodding
Into solitude!—
These are the visions baffled Guido;
Titian never told;
Domenichino dropped the pencil,
Powerless to unfold.
Titian never told;
Domenichino dropped the pencil,
Powerless to unfold.
136
XXIX.
AFTERMATH.
The murmuring of bees has ceased;
But murmuring of some
Posterior, prophetic,
Has simultaneous come,—
But murmuring of some
Posterior, prophetic,
Has simultaneous come,—
The lower metres of the year,
When nature's laugh is done,—
The Revelations of the book
Whose Genesis is June.
When nature's laugh is done,—
The Revelations of the book
Whose Genesis is June.
Poems by Emily Dickinson | ||