ONANINVITATIONTOTHEUNITEDSTATES
I
MyardoursforemprizenighlostSinceLifehasbareditsbonestome,IshrinktoseekamoderncoastWhoseripertimeshaveyettobe;
WherethenewregionsclaimthemfreeFromthatlongdripofhumantearsWhichpeoplesoldintragedyHaveleftuponthecenturiedyears。
II
For,wonningintheseancientlands,Enchasedandletteredasatomb,Andscoredwithprintsofperishedhands,Andchronicledwithdatesofdoom,ThoughmyownBeingbearnobloomItracethelivessuchscenesenshrine,Givepastexemplarspresentroom,Andtheirexperiencecountasmine。
THEMOTHERMOURNS
Whenmid—autumn\'smoanshookthenight—time,Andsedgeswerehorny,Andsummer\'sgreenwonderworkfalteredOnleazeandinlane,IfaredYell\'ham—Firsway,wheredimlyCamewheelingaroundmeThosephantomsobscureandinsistentThatshadowsunchain。
Tillairsfromtheneedle—thicksbroughtmeAlowlamentation,As\'twereofatree—goddisheartened,Perplexed,orinpain。
And,heeding,itawedmetogatherThatNatureherselfthereWasbreathinginaerieaccents,Withdirgefulrefrain,WearyplaintthatMankind,intheselatedays,HadgrievedherbyholdingHerancienthighfameofperfectionIndoubtanddisdain
—\"IhadnotproposedmeaCreature(Shesoughed)soexcellingAllelseofmykingdomincompassAndbrightnessofbrain\"Astoreadmydefectswithagod—glance,UncovereachvestigeOfoldinadvertence,annunciateEachflawandeachstain!
\"MypurposewentnottodevelopSuchinsightinEarthland;
Suchpotentappraisementsaffrontme,Andsaddenmyreign!
\"WhyloosenedIoldencontrolhereTomechanizeskywards,UndeeminggreatscopecouldoutshapeinAglobeofsuchgrain?
\"Man\'smountingsofmind—sightIcheckednot,TillrangeofhisvisionHastoppedmyintent,andfoundblemishThroughoutmydomain。
\"Heholdsasinepthisownsoul—shell
Mydeftestachievement
ContemnsmeforfitfulinventionsIll—timedandinane:
\"NomoreseesmysunasaSanct—shape,MymoonastheNight—queen,MystarsasaugustandsublimeonesThatinfluencesrain:
\"Reckonsgrossandignoblemyteaching,Immoralmystory,Mylove—lightsalure,thatmyspeciesMaygatherandgain。
\"\'Giveme,\'hehassaid,\'butthematterAndmeansthegodslother,MybraincouldevolveacreationMoreseemly,moresane。\'
—\"IfeveranaughtinessseizedmeTowooadulationFromcreaturesmorekeenthanthosecrudeonesThatfirstformedmytrain
\"IfinlyamomentImurmured,\'Thesimplepraisesweetly,Butsweetlierthesage\'—anddidrashlyMan\'svisionunrein,\"Irueit!Hisguilelessforerunners,WhosebrainsIcouldblandish,TomeasurethedeepsofmymysteriesAppliedtheminvain。
\"FromthemmywasteaimingsandfutileIsubtlycouldcover;
\'Everybestthing,\'saidthey,\'tobestpurposeHerpowerspreordain。\'
\"Nomoresuch!Myspeciesaredwindling,Myforestsgrowbarren,Mypopinjaysfailfromtheirtappings,Mylarksfromtheirstrain。
\"Myleopardinebeautiesarerarer,Mytuskyonesvanish,MychildrenhaveapedmineownslaughtersToquickenmywane。
\"Letmegrow,then,butmildewsandmandrakes,Andslimydistortions,LetnevermorethingsgoodandlovelyTomeappertain;
\"ForReasonisrankinmytemples,AndVisionunruly,AndchivalrouslaudofmycunningIsheardnotagain!\"
\"ISAIDTOLOVE\"
IsaidtoLove,\"ItisnotnowasinolddaysWhenmenadoredtheeandthywaysAllelseabove;
NamedtheetheBoy,theBright,theOneWhospreadaheavenbeneaththesun,\"
IsaidtoLove。
Isaidtohim,\"Wenowknowmoreoftheethanthen;
Wewerebutweakinjudgmentwhen,Withheartsabrim,Weclamouredtheethatthouwould\'stpleaseInflictonusthineagonies,\"
Isaidtohim。
IsaidtoLove,\"Thouartnotyoung,thouartnotfair,Nofaerydarts,nocherubair,Norswan,nordoveArethine;butfeaturespitiless,Andirondaggersofdistress,\"
IsaidtoLove。
\"Departthen,Love!
—Man\'sraceshallend,dostthreatenthou?
TheagetocomethemanofnowKnownothingof?
Wefearnotsuchathreatfromthee;
Wearetoooldinapathy!
Mankindshallcease。—Soletitbe,\"
IsaidtoLove。
ACOMMONPLACEDAY
Thedayisturningghost,Andscuttlesfromthekalendarinfitsandfurtively,TojointheanonymoushostOfthosethatthrongoblivion;cedinghisplace,maybe,Tooneoflikedegree。
Ipartthefire—gnawedlogs,Rakeforththeembers,spoilthebusyflames,andlaytheendsUpontheshiningdogs;
Furtherandfurtherfromthenooksthetwilight\'sstrideextends,Andbeamlessblackimpends。
NothingoftiniestworthHaveIwrought,pondered,planned;noonethingaskingblameorpraise,Sincethepalecorpse—likebirthOfthisdiurnalunit,bearingblanksinallitsrays
Dullestofdull—huedDays!
WanlyuponthepanesTherainslidesashaveslidsincemornmycolourlessthoughts;andyetHere,whileDay\'spresencewanes,Andoverhimthesepulchre—lidisslowlyloweredandset,Hewakensmyregret。
Regret—thoughnothingdearThatIwotof,wastowardinthewideworldathisprime,Orbloomedelsewherethanhere,Todiewithhisdecease,andleaveamemorysweet,sublime,OrmarkhimoutinTime
—Yet,maybe,insomesoul,Insomespotundiscernedonseaorland,someimpulserose,OrsomeintentupstoleOfthatenkindlingardencyfromwhosematurerglowsTheworld\'samendmentflows;
Butwhich,benumbedatbirthBymomentarychanceorwile,hasmisseditshopetobeEmbodiedontheearth;
Andundervoicingsofthislosstoman\'sfuturityMaywakeregretinme。
ATALUNARECLIPSE
Thyshadow,Earth,fromPoletoCentralSea,NowstealsalongupontheMoon\'smeekshineInevenmonochromeandcurvinglineOfimperturbableserenity。
HowshallIlinksuchsun—castsymmetryWiththetorntroubledformIknowasthine,Thatprofile,placidasabrowdivine,Withcontinentsofmoilandmisery?
AndcanimmenseMortalitybutthrowSosmallashade,andHeaven\'shighhumanschemeBehemmedwithinthecoastsyonarcimplies?
Issuchthestellargaugeofearthlyshow,Nationatwarwithnation,brainsthatteem,Heroes,andwomenfairerthantheskies?
THELACKINGSENSE
SCENE。—Asad—colouredlandscape,WaddonValeI
\"OTime,whencecomestheMother\'smoodylookamidherlabours,Asofonewhoallunwittinglyhaswoundedwheresheloves?
Whyweavesshenotherworld—webstoaccordinglutesandtabors,Withnevermorethistooremorsefulairuponherface,Asofangelfallenfromgrace?\"
II
—\"Herlookisbutherstory:construenotitssymbolskeenly:
Inherwonderworksyeasurelyhasshewoundedwheresheloves。
Thesenseofillsmisdealtforblissesblanksthemienmostqueenly,Self—smitingskillself—joys;andeverywherebeneaththesunSuchdeedsherhandshavedone。\"