FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27  
28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   >>   >|  
times. In particular, her dashes, often small enough to appear as dots, became commas and semi-colons. In the second series of poems published, a facsimile of her handwritten poem which her editors titled "Renunciation" is given, and I here transcribe that manuscript as faithfully as I can, showing _underlined_ words thus. There came a day - at Summer's full - Entirely for me - I thought that such were for the Saints - Where Resurrections - be - The sun - as common - went abroad - The flowers - accustomed - blew, As if no soul - that solstice passed - Which maketh all things - new - The time was scarce profaned - by speech - The falling of a word Was needless - as at Sacrament - The _Wardrobe_ - of our Lord! Each was to each - the sealed church - Permitted to commune - _this_ time - Lest we too awkward show At Supper of "the Lamb." The hours slid fast - as hours will - Clutched tight - by greedy hands - So - faces on two Decks look back - Bound to _opposing_ lands. And so, when all the time had leaked, Without external sound, Each bound the other's Crucifix - We gave no other bond - Sufficient troth - that we shall _rise_, Deposed - at length the Grave - To that new marriage - _Justified_ - through Calvaries - of Love! From the handwriting, it is not always clear which are dashes, which are commas and which are periods, nor it is entirely clear which initial letters are capitalized. However, this transcription may be compared with the edited version in the main text to get a flavor of the changes made in these early editions. ---JT This is my letter to the world, That never wrote to me, -- The simple news that Nature told, With tender majesty. Her message is committed To hands I cannot see; For love of her, sweet countrymen, Judge tenderly of me! I. LIFE. I. SUCCESS. [Published in "A Masque of Poets" at the request of "H.H.," the author's fellow-townswoman and friend.] Success is counted sweetest By those who ne'er succeed. To comprehend a nectar Requires sorest need. Not one of all the purple host Who took the flag to-day Can tell the definition, So clear, of victory, As he, defeated, dying, On whose forbidden ear The distant strains of triumph Break, agonized and clear! II. Our share of night to bear, Our share of morning, Our blank in bliss
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27  
28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
commas
 

dashes

 

message

 

letter

 

committed

 

tender

 
Nature
 
majesty
 
simple
 

initial


letters

 

capitalized

 

transcription

 
However
 

periods

 

Calvaries

 

handwriting

 

compared

 

editions

 

flavor


edited

 

version

 

definition

 

victory

 
defeated
 

purple

 

morning

 

agonized

 
forbidden
 

distant


strains

 

triumph

 
sorest
 

Published

 
Masque
 

author

 

request

 

SUCCESS

 
countrymen
 

tenderly


fellow
 
townswoman
 

succeed

 

comprehend

 

Requires

 

nectar

 
Success
 

friend

 

counted

 

sweetest