Hope is the thing with feathers    That perches in the soul,    And sings the tune without the words,    And never stops at all,     And sweetest in the gale…

High from the earth I heard a bird;    He trod upon the trees    As he esteemed them trifles,    And then he spied a breeze,    And situated softly    Upon a pile…

Heart, we will forget him!    You and I, to-night!    You may forget the warmth he gave,    I will forget the light.     When you have done, pray tell me,    That…

Heart not so heavy as mine,    Wending late home,    As it passed my window    Whistled itself a tune, —     A careless snatch, a ballad,    A ditty of the street;    Yet…

  He touched me, so I live to know    That such a day, permitted so,    I groped upon his breast.    It was a boundless place to me,    And silenced, as…

He put the belt around my life, —    I heard the buckle snap,    And turned away, imperial,    My lifetime folding up    Deliberate, as a duke would do    A kingdom’s title-deed,…

I measure every grief I meet    With analytic eyes;    I wonder if it weighs like mine,    Or has an easier size.     I wonder if they bore it long,    Or…

The leaves, like women, interchange    Sagacious confidence;    Somewhat of nods, and somewhat of    Portentous inference,     The parties in both cases    Enjoining secrecy, —    Inviolable compact    To notoriety.

Good night! which put the candle out?    A jealous zephyr, not a doubt.    Ah! friend, you little knew    How long at that celestial wick    The angels labored diligent;    Extinguished, now,…

Went up a year this evening!    I recollect it well!    Amid no bells nor bravos    The bystanders will tell!    Cheerful, as to the village,    Tranquil, as to repose,    Chastened, as to…