Emily Dickinson

«It can't be "Summer"! | That - got through! | It's early - yet - for "Spring"! | There's that long town of White - to cross - | Before the Blackbirds sing! | It can't be "Dying"! | It's too Rouge - | The Dead shall go in White - | So Sunset shuts my question down | With Cuffs of Chrysolite!»

«She sweeps with many-colored Brooms - | And leaves the Shreds behind - | Oh Housewife in the Evening West - | Come back, and dust the Pond! | You dropped a Purple Ravelling in - | You dropped an Amber Thread - | And how you've littered all the East | With Duds of Emerald! | | And still, she plies her spotted Brooms, | And still the Aprons fly, | Till Brooms fade softly into stars - | And then I come away.»

«Is it true, dear Sue? | Are there two? | I should'nt like to come | For fear of joggling Him! | If you could shut him up | In a Coffee Cup, | Or tie him to a pin | Till I got in - | Or make him fast | To "Toby's" fist - | Hist! Whist! I'd come!»

«You're right - "the way is narrow" - | And "difficult the Gate" - | And "few there be" - Correct again - | That "enter in - thereat" - | 'Tis Costly - So are purples! | 'Tis just the price of Breath - | With but the "Discount" of the Grave - | Termed by the Brokers - "Death"! | | And after that - there's Heaven - | The Good Man's - "Dividend" - | And Bad Men - "go to Jail" - | I guess.»

«The Court is far away - | No Umpire - have I - | My Sovereign is offended - | To gain his grace - I'd die! | I'll seek his royal feet - | I'll say - Remember - King - | Thou shalt - thyself - one day - a Child - | Implore a larger - thing - | | That Empire - is of Czars - | As small - they say - as I - | Grant me - that day - the royalty - | To intercede - for Thee.»

«The Lamp burns sure - within - | Tho' Serfs - supply the Oil - | It matters not the busy Wick - | At her phosphoric toil! | The Slave - forgets - to fill - | The Lamp - burns golden - on - | Unconscious that the oil is out - | As that the Slave - is gone.»

«If he dissolve - then - there is nothing - more - | Eclipse - at Midnight - | It was dark - before - | Sunset - at Easter - | Blindness - on the Dawn - | Faint Star of Bethlehem - | Gone down! | | Would but some God - inform Him - | Or it be too late! | Say - that the pulse just lisps - | The Chariots wait - | | Say - that a little life - for His - | Is leaking - red - | His little Spaniel - tell Him! | Will He heed?»

«Ah, Moon - and Star! | You are very far - | But were no one | Farther than you - | Do you think I'd stop | For a Firmament - | Or a Cubit - or so? | I could borrow a Bonnet | Of the Lark - | And a Chamois' Silver Boot - | And a stirrup of an Antelope - | And be with you - Tonight! | | But, Moon, and Star, | Though you're very far - | There is one - farther than you - | He - is more than a firmament - from Me - | So I can never go!»

«"Heaven" - is what I cannot reach! | The Apple on the Tree - | Provided it do hopeless - hang - | That - "Heaven" is - to Me! | The Color, on the Cruising Cloud - | The interdicted Land - | Behind the Hill - the House behind - | There - Paradise - is found! | | Her teazing Purples - Afternoons - | The credulous - decoy - | Enamored - of the Conjuror - | That spurned us - Yesterday!»

«Kill your Balm - and it's Odors bless you - | Bare your Jessamine - to the storm - | And she will fling her maddest perfume - | Haply - your Summer night to Charm - | Stab the Bird - that built in your bosom - | Oh, could you catch her last Refrain - | Bubble! "Forgive" - "Some better" - Bubble! | "Carol for Him - when I am gone"!»

«I held a Jewel in my fingers - | And went to sleep - | The day was warm, and winds were prosy - | I said "'Twill keep" - | I woke - and chid my honest fingers, | The Gem was gone - | And now, an Amethyst remembrance | Is all I own.»

«Forever at His side to walk - | The smaller of the two! | Brain of His Brain - | Blood of His Blood - | Two lives - One Being - now - | Forever of His fate to taste - | If grief - the largest part - | If joy - to put my piece away | For that beloved Heart - | | All life - to know each other - | Whom we can never learn - | And bye and bye - a Change - | Called Heaven - | Rapt Neighborhoods of Men - | Just finding out - what puzzled us - | Without the lexicon!»

«I shall keep singing! | Birds will pass me | On their way to Yellower Climes - | Each - with a Robin's expectation - | I - with my Redbreast - | And my Rhymes - | Late - when I take my place in summer - | But - I shall bring a fuller tune - | Vespers - are sweeter than Matins - Signor - | Morning - only the seed of Noon.»

«Wild Nights - Wild Nights! | Were I with thee | Wild Nights should be | Our luxury! | Futile - the Winds - | To a Heart in port - | Done with the Compass - | Done with the Chart! | | Rowing in Eden - | Ah, the Sea! | Might I but moor - Tonight - | In Thee!»

«Why - do they shut Me out of Heaven? | Did I sing - too loud? | But - I can say a little "Minor" | Timid as a Bird! | Would'nt the Angels try me - | Just - once - more - | Just - see - if I troubled them - | But dont - shut the door! | | Oh, if I - were the Gentleman | In the "White Robe" - | And they - were the little Hand - that knocked - | Could - I - forbid?»

«If I'm lost - now - | That I was found - | Shall still my transport be - | That once - on me - those Jasper Gates | Blazed open - suddenly - | That in my awkward - gazing - face - | The Angels - softly peered - | And touched me with their fleeces, | Almost as if they cared - | I'm banished - now - you know it - | How foreign that can be - | You'll know - Sir - when the Savior's face | Turns so - away from you.»

«To die - takes just a little while - | They say it doesn't hurt - | It's only fainter - by degrees - | And then - it's out of sight - | A darker Ribbon - for a Day - | A Crape upon the Hat - | And then the pretty sunshine comes - | And helps us to forget - | | The absent - mystic - creature - | That but for love of us - | Had gone to sleep - that soundest time - | Without the weariness.»

«Notti Selvagge - Notti Selvagge! | Fossi io con te | Notti Selvagge sarebbero | La nostra voluttà! | Inutili - i Venti - | A un Cuore in porto - | Via il Compasso - | Via la Mappa! | | Vogare nell'Eden - | Ah, il Mare! | Potessi soltanto ormeggiare - Stanotte - | In Te!»

«Over the fence - | Strawberries - grow - | Over the fence - | I could climb - if I tried, I know - | Berries are nice! | But - if I stained my Apron - | God would certainly scold! | Oh, dear, - I guess if He were a Boy - | He'd - climb - if He could!»

«I can wade Grief - | Whole Pools of it - | I'm used to that - | But the least push of Joy | Breaks up my feet - | And I tip - drunken - | Let no Pebble - smile - | 'Twas the New Liquor - | That was all! | Power is only Pain - | Stranded, thro' Discipline, | Till Weights - will hang - | Give Balm - to Giants - | And they'll wilt, like Men - | Give Himmaleh - | They'll Carry - Him!»