Emily Dickinson

«There comes an hour when begging stops, | When the long interceding lips | Perceive their prayer is vain. | "Thou shalt not" is a kinder sword | Than from a disappointing God | "Disciple, call again".»

«So bashful when I spied her! | So pretty - so ashamed! | So hidden in her leaflets | Lest anybody find - | So breathless till I passed her - | So helpless when I turned | And bore her struggling, blushing, | Her simple haunts beyond! | | For whom I robbed the Dingle - | For whom I betrayed the Dell - | Many, will doubtless ask me - | But I shall never tell!»

«Through those old grounds of memory, | The sauntering alone | Is a divine intemperance | A prudent man would shun. | Of liquors that are vended | 'Tis easy to beware | But statutes do not meddle | With the internal bar. | Pernicious as the sunset | Permitting to pursue | But impotent to gather, | The tranquil perfidy | Alloys our firmer moments | With that severest gold | Convenient to the longing | But otherwise withheld.»

«Mute thy Coronation - | Meek my Vive le roi, | Fold a tiny courtier | In thine Ermine, Sir, | There to rest revering | Till the pageant by, | I can murmur broken, | Master, It was I.»

«The Sun kept stooping - stooping - low! | The Hills to meet him rose! | On his side, what Transaction! | On their side, what Repose! | Deeper and deeper grew the stain | Upon the window pane - | Thicker and thicker stood the feet | Until the Tyrian | | Was crowded dense with Armies - | So gay, so Brigadier - | That I felt martial stirrings | Who once the Cockade wore - | | Charged, from my chimney Corner - | But Nobody was there!»

«Except to Heaven, she is nought. | Except for Angels - lone. | Except to some wide-wandering Bee | A flower superfluous blown. | Except for winds - provincial. | Except by Butterflies | Unnoticed as a single dew | That on the Acre lies. | | The smallest Housewife in the grass, | Yet take her from the Lawn | And somebody has lost the face | That made Existence - Home.»

«Dust is the only Secret - | Death, the only One | You cannot find out all about | In his "native town". | Nobody knew "his Father" - | Never was a Boy - | Hadn't any playmates, | Or "Early history" - | | Industrious! Laconic! | Punctual! Sedate! | Bold as a Brigand! | Stiller than a Fleet!»

«Little Bread - a crust - a crumb - | A little trust - a demijohn - | Can keep the soul alive - | Not portly, mind! But breathing - warm - | Conscious - as old Napoleon, | The night before the crown! | A modest lot - A fame petite - | A brief Campaign of sting and sweet | Is plenty! Is enough! | A Sailor's business is the shore! | A Soldier's - balls! Who asketh more, | Must seek the neighboring life!»

«Nessuna Ruota può torturarmi - | L'Anima - in Libertà - | Dietro quest'Ossatura mortale | Ne è saldata Una più vigorosa - | Non si può forare con la sega - | Né trafiggere con la Scimitarra - | Due Corpi - dunque vi sono - | Legane Uno - L'Altro vola - | | L'Aquila del suo Nido | Non si libera più facilmente - | E guadagna il Cielo | Di quanto puoi Tu - | | A meno che Tu stesso sia | Il tuo Nemico - | Prigione è la Coscienza - | Così come è Libertà.»

«Smiling back from Coronation | May be Luxury - | On the Heads that started with us - | Being's Peasantry - | Recognizing in Procession | Ones We former knew - | When Ourselves were also dusty - | Centuries ago - | | Had the Triumph no Conviction | Of how many be - | Stimulated - by the Contrast - | Unto Misery.»

«Answer July - | Where is the Bee - | Where is the Blush - | Where is the Hay? | Ah, said July - | Where is the Seed - | Where is the Bud - | Where is the May - | Answer Thee - Me - | | Nay - said the May - | Show me the Snow - | Show me the Bells - | Show me the Jay! | | Quibbled the Jay - | Where be the Maize - | Where be the Haze - | Where be the Bur? | Here - said the Year.»

«The sweetest Heresy received | That Man and Woman know - | Each Other's Convert - | Though the Faith accommodate but Two - | The Churches are so frequent - | The Ritual - so small - | The Grace so unavoidable - | To fail - is Infidel.»

«Take your Heaven further on - | This - to Heaven divine Has gone - | Had You earlier blundered in | Possibly, e'en You had seen | An Eternity - put on - | Now - to ring a Door beyond | Is the utmost of Your Hand - | To the Skies - apologize - | Nearer to Your Courtesies | Than this Sufferer polite - | Dressed to meet You - | See - in White!»

«It's coming - the postponeless Creature - | It gains the Block - and now - it gains the Door - | Chooses it's latch, from all the other fastenings - | Enters - with a "You know Me - Sir"? | Simple Salute - and certain Recognition - | Bold - were it Enemy - Brief - were it friend - | Dresses each House in Crape, and Icicle - | And Carries one - out of it - to God -.»

«A Visitor in Marl - | Who influences Flowers - | Till they are orderly as Busts - | And Elegant - as Glass - | Who visits in the Night - | And just before the Sun - | Concludes his glistening interview - | Caresses - and is gone - | | But whom his fingers touched - | And where his feet have run - | And whatsoever Mouth be kissed - | Is as it had not been -.»

«Through the Dark Sod - as Education - | The Lily passes sure - | Feels her white foot - no trepidation - | Her faith - no fear - | Afterward - in the Meadow - | Swinging her Beryl Bell - | The Mold-life - all forgotten - now - | In Extasy - and Dell -.»

«'Twas Love - not me - | Oh punish - pray - | The Real one died for Thee - | Just Him - not me - | Such Guilt - to love Thee - most! | Doom it beyond the Rest - | Forgive it - last - | 'Twas base as Jesus - most! | | Let Justice not mistake - | We Two - looked so alike - | Which was the Guilty Sake - | 'Twas Love's - Now Strike!»

«Did Our Best Moment last - | 'Twould supersede the Heaven - | A few - and they by Risk - procure - | So this Sort - are not given - | Except as stimulants - in | Cases of Despair - | Or Stupor - The Reserve - | These Heavenly Moments are - | | A Grant of the Divine - | That Certain as it Comes - | Withdraws - and leaves the dazzled Soul | In her unfurnished Rooms.»

«Reverse cannot befall | That fine Prosperity | Whose Sources are interior - | As soon - Adversity | A Diamond - overtake | In far - Bolivian Ground - | Misfortune hath no implement | Could mar it - if it found -.»

«C'è un Languore della Vita | Più minaccioso del Dolore - | È il Successore del Dolore - Quando l'Anima | Ha sofferto tutto ciò che poteva.»