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I am alive - because I do not own a House Entitled to myself - precise And fitting to no one else

And marked my Girlhood's name So Visitors may know Which Door is mine - and not mistake And try another Key

How good-to be alive! How infinite to be Alive -- two-fold -The Birth I had -And this -- besides, in -- Thee!

x x x

510 It was not Death, for I stood up, And all the Dead, lie down It was not Night, for all the Bells Put out their Tongues, for Noon.

It was not Frost, for on my Flesh I felt Siroccos - crawl Nor Fire - for just my Marble feet Could keep a Chancel, cool

And yet it tasted, like them all, The Figures I have seen Set orderly, for Burial, Reminded me, of mine

As if my life were shaven, And fitted to a frame, And could not breathe without a key, And "t was like Midnight, some

When everything that ticked-has stoppedAnd Space stares all around Or Grisly frosts- first Autumn morns, Repeal the Beating Ground

But most, like Chaos -- Stopless - cool Without a Chance, or Spar Or even a Report of Land To justify - Despair.

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540 I Took my Power in my HandAnd went against the World 'T was not so much as David -- hadBut I was twice as bold

I aimed my Pebble - but Myself Was all the one that fellWas it Goliaf - was too largeOr was myself - too small?

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543 I fear a Man of frugal SpeechI fear a Silent ManHaranguer - I can overtake Or Babbler - entertain

But He who weigheth - While the RestExpend their furthest poundOf this Man - I am waryI fear that He is Grand.

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619 Glee - the great storm is over Four - have recovered the Land Forty - gone down together Into the boiling Sand

Ring - for the Scant Salvation Toll - for the bonnie Souls Neighbor - and friend - and Bridegroom, Spinning upon the Shoals

How they will tell the StoryWhen Winter shake the Door Till the Children urge - But the Forty Did they - come back no more?

Then a softness - suffuses the Story And a silence - the Teller's eye And the Children - no further question And only the Sea - reply

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621 I asked no other thing No other - was denied I offered Being - for it The Mighty Merchant sneered

Brazil? He twirled a Button Without a glance my way " But - Madam - is there nothing else That We can show - Today? "

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657 I dwell in Possibility A fairer House than Prose More numerous of Windows Superior - for Doors

Of Chambers as the Cedars Impregnable of Eye And for an Everlasting Roof The Gambrels of the Sky

Of Visitors - the fairest For Occupation - This The spreading wide my narrow Hands To gather Paradise

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680 Each Life Converges to some Centre Expressed - or still Exists in every Human Nature A Goal

Embodied scarcely to itself- it may beToo fair For Credibility's presumption To mar

Adored with caution- as a Brittle HeavenTo reach Were hopeless Rainbow's Raiment To touch

Yet persevered toward

sure- for the distance; How highUnto the Saints" slow diligenceThe Sky