Others　will　live　in　peace；　and　thou　be　fain
  To　bargain　with　despair；　and　in　thy　need
  To　make　thy　meal　upon　the　scantiest　weed。
  These　palaces；　for　thee　they　stand　in　vain；
  Thine　is　a　ruinous　hut；　and　oft　the　rain
  Shall　drench　thee　in　the　midnight；　yea　the　speed
  Of　earth　outstrip　thee　pilgrim；　while　thy　feet
  Move　slowly　up　the　heights。　　Yet　will　there　come
  Through　the　time…rents　about　thy　moving　cell；
  An　arrow　for　despair；　and　oft　the　hum
  Of　far…off　populous　realms　where　spirits　dwell。
  TO　*　*　*　*
  Speak；　Prophet　of　the　Lord！　　We　may　not　start
  To　find　thee　with　us　in　thine　ancient　dress；
  Haggard　and　pale　from　some　bleak　wilderness；
  Empty　of　all　save　God　and　thy　loud　heart：
  Nor　with　like　rugged　message　quick　to　dart
  Into　the　hideous　fiction　mean　and　base：
  But　yet；　O　prophet　man；　we　need　not　less；
  But　more　of　earnest；　though　it　is　thy　part
  To　deal　in　other　words；　if　thou　wouldst　smite
  The　living　Mammon；　seated；　not　as　then
  In　bestial　quiescence　grimly　dight；
  But　thrice　as　much　an　idol…god　as　when
  He　stared　at　his　own　feet　from　morn　to　night。8
  THE　WATCHER。
  》From　out　a　windy　cleft　there　comes　a　gaze
  Of　eyes　unearthly　which　go　to　and　fro
  Upon　the　people's　tumult；　for　below
  The　nations　smite　each　other：　no　amaze
  Troubles　their　liquid　rolling；　or　affrays
  Their　deep…set　contemplation：　steadily　glow
  Those　ever　holier　eye…balls；　for　they　grow
  Liker　unto　the　eyes　of　one　that　prays。
  And　if　those　clasped　hands　tremble；　comes　a　power
  As　of　the　might　of　worlds；　and　they　are　holden
  Blessing　above　us　in　the　sunrise　golden；
  And　they　will　be　uplifted　till　that　hour
  Of　terrible　rolling　which　shall　rise　and　shake
  This　conscious　nightmare　from　us　and　we　wake。
  THE　BELOVED　DISCIPLE。
  I
  One　do　I　see　and　twelve；　but　second　there
  Methinks　I　know　thee；　thou　beloved　one；
  Not　from　thy　nobler　port；　for　there　are　none
  More　quiet…featured；　some　there　are　who　bear
  Their　message　on　their　brows；　while　others　wear
  A　look　of　large　commission；　nor　will　shun
  The　fiery　trial；　so　their　work　is　done：
  But　thou　hast　parted　with　thine　eyes　in　prayer
  Unearthly　are　they　both；　and　so　thy　lips
  Seem　like　the　porches　of　the　spirit　land；
  For　thou　hast　laid　a　mighty　treasure　by；
  Unlocked　by　Him　in　Nature；　and　thine　eye
  Burns　with　a　vision　and　apocalypse
  Thy　own　sweet　soul　can　hardly　understand。
  II
  A　Boanerges　too！　　Upon　my　heart
  It　lay　a　heavy　hour：　features　like　thine
  Should　glow　with　other　message　than　the　shine
  Of　the　earth…burrowing　levin；　and　the　start
  That　cleaveth　horrid　gulfs。　　Awful　and　swart
  A　moment　stoodest　thou；　but　less　divine
  Brawny　and　clad　in　ruin！till　with　mine
  Thy　heart　made　answering　signals；　and　apart
  Beamed　forth　thy　two　rapt　eye…balls　doubly　clear；
  And　twice　as　strong　because　thou　didst　thy　duty；
  And　though　affianced　to　immortal　Beauty；
  Hiddest　not　weakly　underneath　her　veil
  The　pest　of　Sin　and　Death　which　maketh　pale：
  Henceforward　be　thy　spirit　doubly　dear。9
  THE　LILY　OF　THE　VALLEY。
  There　is　not　any　weed　but　hath　its　shower；
  There　is　not　any　pool　but　hath　its　star；
  And　black　and　muddy　though　the　waters　are；
  We　may　not　miss　the　glory　of　a　flower；
  And　winter　moons　will　give　them　magic　power
  To　spin　in　cylinders　of　diamond　spar；
  And　everything　hath　beauty　near　and　far；
  And　keepeth　close　and　waiteth　on　its　hour。
  And　I　when　I　encounter　on　my　road
  A　human　soul　that　looketh　black　and　grim；
  Shall　I　more　ceremonious　be　than　God？
  Shall　I　refuse　to　watch　one　hour　with　him
  Who　once　beside　our　deepest　woe　did　bud
  A　patient　watching　flower　about　the　brim。
  'Tis　not　the　violent　hands　alone　that　bring
  The　curse；　the　ravage；　and　the　downward　doom
  Although　to　these　full　oft　the　yawning　tomb
  Owes　deadly　surfeit；　but　a　keener　sting；
  A　more　immortal　agony；　will　cling
  To　the　half…fashioned　sin　which　would　assume
  Fair　Virtue's　garb。　　The　eye　that　sows　the　gloom
  With　quiet　seeds　of　Death　henceforth　to　spring
  What　time　the　sun　of　passion　burning　fierce
  Breaks　through　the　kindly　cloud　of　circumstance；
  The　bitter　word；　and　the　unkindly　glance；
  The　crust　and　canker　coming　with　the　years；
  Are　liker　Death　than　arrows；　and　the　lance
  Which　through　the　living　heart　at　once　doth　pierce。
  SPOKEN　OF　SEVERAL　PHILOSOPHERS。
  I　pray　you；　all　ye　men；　who　put　your　trust
  In　moulds　and　systems　and　well…tackled　gear；
  Holding　that　Nature　lives　from　year　to　year
  In　one　continual　round　because　she　must
  Set　me　not　down；　I　pray　you；　in　the　dust
  Of　all　these　centuries；　like　a　pot　of　beer；
  A　pewter…pot　disconsolately　clear；
  Which　holds　a　potful；　as　is　right　and　just。
  I　will　grow　clamorousby　the　rood；　I　will；
  If　thus　ye　use　me　like　a　pewter　pot。
  Good　friend；　thou　art　a　toper　and　a　sot
  I　will　not　be　the　lead　to　hold　thy　swill；
  Nor　any　lead：　I　will　arise　and　spill
  Thy　silly　beverage；　spill　it　piping　hot。
  Nature；　to　him　no　message　dost　thou　bear；
  Who　in　thy　beauty　findeth　not　the　power
  To　gird　himself　more　strongly　for　the　hour
  Of　night　and　darkness。　　Oh；　what　colours　rare
  The　woods；　the　valleys；　and　the　mountains　wear
  To　him　who　knows　thy　secret；　and　in　shower
  And　fog；　and　ice…cloud；　hath　a　secret　bower
  Where　he　may　rest　until　the　heavens　are　fair！
  Not　with　the　rest　of　slumber；　but　the　trance
  Of　onward　movement　steady　and　serene；
  Where　oft　in　struggle　and　in　contest　keen
  His　eyes　will　opened　be；　and　all　the　dance
  Of　life　break　on　him；　and　a　wide　expanse
  Roll　upward　through　the　void；　sunny　and　green。
  TO　JUNE。
  Ah；　truant；　thou　art　here　again；　I　see！
  For　in　a　season　of　such　wretched　weather
  I　thought　that　thou　hadst　left　us　altogether；
  Although　I　could　not　choose　but　fancy　thee
  Skulking　about　the　hill…tops；　whence　the　glee
  Of　thy　blue　laughter　peeped　at　times；　or　rather
  Thy　bashful　awkwardness；　as　doubtful　whether
  Thou　shouldst　be　seen　in　such　a　company
  Of　ugly　runaways；　unshapely　heaps
  Of　ruffian　vapour；　broken　from　restraint
  Of　their　slim　prison　in　the　ocean　deeps。
  But　yet　I　may　not；　chide：　fall　to　thy　books；
  Fall　to　immediately　without　complaint
  There　they　are　lying；　hills　and　vales　and　brooks。
  WRITTEN　ABOUT　THE　LONGEST　DAY。
  Summer；　sweet　Summer；　many…fingered　Summer！
  We　hold　thee　very　dear；　as　well　we　may：
  It　is　the　kernel　of　the　year　to…day
  All　hail　to　thee！　　Thou　art　a　welcome　corner！
  If　every　insect　were　a　fairy　drummer；
  And　I　a　fifer　that　could　deftly　play；
  We'd　give　the　old　Earth　such　a　roundelay
  That　she　would　cast　all　thought　of　labour　from　her
  Ah！　what　is　this　upon　my　window…pane？
  Some　sulky　drooping　cloud　comes　pouting　up；
  Stamping　its　glittering　feet　along　the　plain！
  Well；　I　will　let　that　idle　fancy　drop。
  Oh；　how　the　spouts　are　bubbling　with　the　rain！
  And　all　the　earth　shines　like　a　silver　cup！
  ON　A　MIDGE。
  Whence　do　ye　come；　ye　creature？　　Each　of　you
  Is　perfect　as　an　angel；　wings　and　eyes
  Stupendous　in　their　beautygorgeous　dyes
  In　feathery　fields　of　purple　and　of　blue！
  Would　God　I　saw　a　moment　as　ye　do！
  I　would　become　a　molecule　in　size；
  Rest　with　you；　hum　with　you；　or　slanting　rise
  Along　your　one　dear　sunbeam；　could　I　view
  The　pearly　secret　which　each　tiny　fly；
  Each　tiny　fly　that　hums　and　bobs　and　stirs；
  Hides　in　its　little　breast　eternally
  》From　you；　ye　prickly　grim　philosophers；
  With　all　your　theories　that　sound　so　high：
  Hark　to　the　buzz　a　moment；　my　good　sirs！
  ON　A　WATERFALL。
  Here　stands　a　giant　stone　from　whose　far　top
  Comes　down　the　sounding　water。　　Let　me　gaze
  Till　every　sense　of　man　and　human　ways
  Is　wrecked　and　quenched　for　ever；　and　I　drop
  Into　the　whirl　of　time；　and　without　stop
  Pass　downward　thus！　　Again　my　eyes　I　raise
  To　thee；　dark　rock；　and　through　the　mist　and　haze
  My　strength　returns　when　I　behold　thy　prop
  Gleam　stern　and　steady　through　the　wavering　wrack
  Surely　thy　strength　is　human；　and　like　me
  Thou　bearest　loads　of　thunder　on　thy　back！
  And；　lo；　a　smile　upon　thy　visage　black
  A　breezy　tuft　of　grass　which　I　can　see
  Waving　serenely　from　a　sunlit　crack！
  Above　my　head　the　great　pine…branches　tower
  Backwards　and　forwards　each　to　the　other　bends；
  Beckoning　the　tempest…cloud　which　hither　wends
  Like　a　slow…laboured　thought；　heavy　with　power；
  Hark　to　the　patter　of　the　coming　shower！
  Let　me　be　silent　while　the　Almighty　sends
  His　thunder…word　along；　but　when　it　ends
  I　will　arise　and　fashion　from　the　hour
  Words　of　stupendous　import；　fit　to　guard
  High　thoughts　and　purposes；　which　I　may　wave；
  When　the　temptation　cometh　close　and　hard；
  Like　fiery　brands　betwixt　me　and　the　grave
  Of　meaner　thingsto　which　I　am　a　slave
  If　evermore　I　keep　not　watch　and　ward。
  I　do　remember　how　when　very　young；
  I　saw　the　great　sea　first；　and　heard　its　swell
  As　I　drew　nearer；　caught　within　the　spell
  Of　its　vast　size　and　its　mysterious　tongue。
  How　the　floor　trembled；　and　the　dark　boat　swung
  With　a　man　in　it；　and　a　great　wave　fell