45 I WAKE and feel the fell of dark, not day. What hours, O what black hoürs we have spent This night! what sights you, heart, saw; ways you went! And more must, in yet longer light's delay.      With witness I speak this. But where I say Hours I mean years, mean life. And my lament Is cries countless, cries like dead letters sent To dearest him...Learn More

47 MY own heart let me have more pity on; let Me live to my sad self hereafter kind, Charitable; not live this tormented mind With this tormented mind tormenting yet.    I cast for comfort I can no more get By groping round my comfortless, than blind Eyes in their dark can day or thirst can find Thirst's all-in-all in all a world of wet. Soul,...Learn More

29 Felix Randal FELIX RANDAL the farrier, O he is dead then? my duty all ended, Who have watched his mould of man, big-boned and hardy-     handsome Pining, pining, till time when reason rambled in it and some Fatal four disorders, fleshed there, all contended? Sickness broke him. Impatient he cursed at first, but mended Being anointed and all;...Learn More

_17 The Loss of the Eurydice Foundered March 24. 1878_ 1 THE Eurydice—it concerned thee, O Lord: Three hundred souls, O alas! on board,     Some asleep unawakened, all un- warned, eleven fathoms fallen 2 Where she foundered! One stroke Felled and furled them, the hearts of oak!     And flockbells off the aerial Downs' forefalls beat to the...Learn More

3 The Habit of Perfection ELECTED Silence, sing to me And beat upon my whorlèd ear, Pipe me to pastures still and be The music that I care to hear. Shape nothing, lips; be lovely-dumb: It is the shut, the curfew sent From there where all surrenders come Which only makes you eloquent. Be shellèd, eyes, with double dark And find the uncreated...Learn More

35 Ribblesdale EARTH, sweet Earth, sweet landscape, with leavès throng And louchèd low grass, heaven that dost appeal To, with no tongue to plead, no heart to feel; That canst but only be, but dost that long— Thou canst but be, but that thou well dost; strong Thy plea with him who dealt, nay does now deal, Thy lovely dale down thus and thus bids...Learn More

37 The Blessed Virgin compared to the Air we Breathe WILD air, world-mothering air, Nestling me everywhere, That each eyelash or hair Girdles; goes home betwixt The fleeciest, frailest-flixed Snowflake; that's fairly mixed With, riddles, and is rife In every least thing's life; This needful, never spent, And nursing element; 10 My more than meat...Learn More

_34 As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme; As tumbled over rim in roundy wells Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name; Each mortal thing does one thing and the same: Deals out that being indoors each one dwells; Selves—goes itself; myself it speaks and...Learn More

9 Spring NOTHING is so beautiful as spring—    When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;    Thrush's eggs look little low heavens, and thrush Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;    The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush    The descending blue; that blue is...Learn More

2 Heaven—Haven A nun takes the veil     I HAVE desired to go        Where springs not fail, To fields where flies no sharp and sided hail     And a few lilies blow.     And I have asked to be        Where no storms come, Where the green swell is in the havens dumb,     And out of the swing of the sea....Learn More

32 Spelt from Sibyl's Leaves EARNEST, earthless, equal, attuneable, | vaulty, voluminous, . . stupendous Evening strains to be tíme's vást, | womb-of-all, home-of-all, hearse-of-all night. Her fond yellow hornlight wound to the west, | her wild hollow hoarlight hung to the height Waste; her earliest stars, earl-stars, | stárs principal, overbend...Learn More

46 PATIENCE, hard thing! the hard thing but to pray, But bid for, Patience is! Patience who asks Wants war, wants wounds; weary his times, his tasks; To do without, take tosses, and obey.    Rare patience roots in these, and, these away, Nowhere. Natural heart's ivy, Patience masks Our ruins of wrecked past purpose. There she basks Purple eyes and...Learn More