Poems by Emily Dickinson - BestLightNovel.com
You’re reading novel Poems by Emily Dickinson Part 25 online at BestLightNovel.com. Please use the follow button to get notification about the latest chapter next time when you visit BestLightNovel.com. Use F11 button to read novel in full-screen(PC only). Drop by anytime you want to read free – fast – latest novel. It’s great if you could leave a comment, share your opinion about the new chapters, new novel with others on the internet. We’ll do our best to bring you the finest, latest novel everyday. Enjoy
Of all the souls that stand create I have elected one.
When sense from spirit files away, And subterfuge is done;
When that which is and that which was Apart, intrinsic, stand, And this brief tragedy of flesh Is s.h.i.+fted like a sand;
When figures show their royal front And mists are carved away, -- Behold the atom I preferred To all the lists of clay!
II.
I have no life but this, To lead it here; Nor any death, but lest Dispelled from there;
Nor tie to earths to come, Nor action new, Except through this extent, The realm of you.
III.
Your riches taught me poverty.
Myself a millionnaire In little wealths, -- as girls could boast, -- Till broad as Buenos Ayre,
You drifted your dominions A different Peru; And I esteemed all poverty, For life's estate with you.
Of mines I little know, myself, But just the names of gems, -- The colors of the commonest; And scarce of diadems
So much that, did I meet the queen, Her glory I should know: But this must be a different wealth, To miss it beggars so.
I 'm sure 't is India all day To those who look on you Without a stint, without a blame, -- Might I but be the Jew!
I 'm sure it is Golconda, Beyond my power to deem, -- To have a smile for mine each day, How better than a gem!
At least, it solaces to know That there exists a gold, Although I prove it just in time Its distance to behold!
It 's far, far treasure to surmise, And estimate the pearl That slipped my simple fingers through While just a girl at school!
IV.
THE CONTRACT.
I gave myself to him, And took himself for pay.
The solemn contract of a life Was ratified this way.
The wealth might disappoint, Myself a poorer prove Than this great purchaser suspect, The daily own of Love
Depreciate the vision; But, till the merchant buy, Still fable, in the isles of spice, The subtle cargoes lie.
At least, 't is mutual risk, -- Some found it mutual gain; Sweet debt of Life, -- each night to owe, Insolvent, every noon.
V.
THE LETTER.
"GOING to him! Happy letter! Tell him -- Tell him the page I didn't write; Tell him I only said the syntax, And left the verb and the p.r.o.noun out.
Tell him just how the fingers hurried, Then how they waded, slow, slow, slow; And then you wished you had eyes in your pages, So you could see what moved them so.
"Tell him it wasn't a practised writer, You guessed, from the way the sentence toiled; You could hear the bodice tug, behind you, As if it held but the might of a child; You almost pitied it, you, it worked so.
Tell him -- No, you may quibble there, For it would split his heart to know it, And then you and I were silenter.
"Tell him night finished before we finished, And the old clock kept neighing 'day!'
And you got sleepy and begged to be ended -- What could it hinder so, to say?
Tell him just how she sealed you, cautious, But if he ask where you are hid Until to-morrow, -- happy letter!
Gesture, coquette, and shake your head!"
VI.
The way I read a letter 's this: 'T is first I lock the door, And push it with my fingers next, For transport it be sure.
And then I go the furthest off To counteract a knock; Then draw my little letter forth And softly pick its lock.
Then, glancing narrow at the wall, And narrow at the floor, For firm conviction of a mouse Not exorcised before,
Peruse how infinite I am To -- no one that you know!
And sigh for lack of heaven, -- but not The heaven the creeds bestow.
VII.
Wild nights! Wild nights!
Were I with thee, Wild nights should be Our luxury!