Delphi Poetry Anthology: The World's Greatest Poems (Delphi Poets Series Book 50)

by Homer

That made a woman cry.

  O Son of Man, to right my lot 5

  Naught but Thy presence can avail;

  Yet on the road Thy wheels are not,

  Nor on the sea Thy sail!

  My how or when Thou wilt not heed,

  But come down Thine own secret stair, 10

  That Thou mayst answer all my need —

  Yea, every bygone prayer.

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Baby

  George MacDonald (1824–1905)

  WHERE did you come from, baby dear?

  Out of the everywhere into here.

  Where did you get those eyes so blue?

  Out of the sky as I came through.

  What makes the light in them sparkle and spin? 5

  Some of the starry spikes left in.

  Where did you get that little tear?

  I found it waiting when I got here.

  What makes your forehead so smooth and high?

  A soft hand stroked it as I went by. 10

  What makes your cheek like a warm white rose?

  I saw something better than any one knows.

  Whence that three-cornered smile of bliss?

  Three angels gave me at once a kiss.

  Where did you get this pearly ear? 15

  God spoke, and it came out to hear.

  Where did you get those arms and hands?

  Love made itself into bonds and bands.

  Feet, whence did you come, you darling things?

  From the same box as the cherubs’ wings. 20

  How did they all just come to be you?

  God thought about me, and so I grew.

  But how did you come to us, you dear?

  God thought about you, and so I am here.

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Emily Dickinson

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  They shut me up in Prose

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  445

  They shut me up in Prose –

  As when a little Girl

  They put me in the Closet –

  Because they liked me “still” –

  Still! Could themself have peeped –

  And seen my Brain – go round –

  They might as wise have lodged a Bird

  For Treason – in the Pound –

  Himself has but to will

  And easy as a Star

  Look down opon Captivity –

  And laugh – No more have I –

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Hope is the thing with feathers

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  254

  “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 — is heard —

  And sore must be the storm —

  That could abash the little Bird

  That kept so many warm —

  I’ve heard it in the chillest land —

  And on the strangest Sea —

  Yet, never, in Extremity,

  It asked a crumb — of Me.

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Faith is a fine invention

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  185

  “Faith” is a fine invention

  When Gentlemen can see —

  But Microscopes are prudent

  In an Emergency.

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  A Book

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  There is no frigate like a book

  To take us lands away,

  Nor any coursers like a page

  Of prancing poetry.

  This traverse may the poorest take

  Without oppress of toll;

  How frugal is the chariot

  That bears a human soul!

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  A Bird Came Down

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  A bird came down the walk:

  He did not know I saw;

  He bit an angle-worm in halves

  And ate the fellow, raw.

  And then he drank a dew

  From a convenient grass,

  And then hopped sidewise to the wall

  To let a beetle pass.

  He glanced with rapid eyes

  That hurried all abroad,-

  They looked like frightened beads, I thought;

  He stirred his velvet head

  Like one in danger; cautious,

  I offered him a crumb,

  And he unrolled his feathers

  And rowed him softer home

  Than oars divide the ocean,

  Too silver for a seam,

  Or butterflies, off banks of noon,

  Leap, plashless, as they swim.

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  A Dying Tiger — moaned for Drink

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  566

  A Dying Tiger — moaned for Drink —

  I hunted all the Sand —

  I caught the Dripping of a Rock

  And bore it in my Hand —

  His Mighty Balls — in death were thick —

  But searching — I could see

  A Vision on the Retina

  Of Water — and of me —

  ’Twas not my blame — who sped too slow —

  ’Twas not his blame — who died

  While I was reaching him —

  But ’twas — the fact that He was dead —

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  A Cloud withdrew from the Sky

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  895

  A Cloud withdrew from the Sky

  Superior Glory be

  But that Cloud and its Auxiliaries

  Are forever lost to me

  Had I but further scanned

  Had I secured the Glow

  In an Hermetic Memory

  It had availed me now.

  Never to pass the Angel

  With a glance and a Bow

  Till I am firm in Heaven

  Is my intention now.

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Speech — is a prank of Parliament

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  688

  ‘Speech’ — is a prank of Parliament —

  ‘Tears’ — is a trick of the nerve —

  But the Heart with the heaviest freight on —

  Doesn’t — always — move —

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Why do I love You, Sir?

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  480

  “Why do I love” You, Sir?

  Because —

  The Wind does not require the Grass

  To answer — Wherefore when He pass

  She cannot keep Her place.

  Because He knows — and

  Do not You —

  And We know not —

  Enough for Us

  The Wisdom it be so —

  The Lightning — never asked an Eye

  Wherefore it shut — when He was by —

  Because He knows it cannot speak —

  And reasons not contained —

  — Of Talk —

&nbs
p; There be — preferred by Daintier Folk —

  The Sunrise — Sire — compelleth Me —

  Because He’s Sunrise — and I see —

  Therefore — Then —

  I love Thee —

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Heaven — is what I cannot reach!

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  239

  “Heaven” — is what I cannot reach!

  The Apple on the Tree —

  Provided it do hopeless — hang —

  That— “He aven” is — to Me!

  The Color, on the Cruising Cloud —

  The interdicted Land —

  Behind the Hill — the House behind —

  There — Paradise — is found!

  Her teasing Purples — Afternoons —

  The credulous — decoy —

  Enamored — of the Conjuror —

  That spurned us — Yesterday!

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Nature is what we see

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  668

  “Nature” is what we see —

  The Hill — the Afternoon —

  Squirrel — Eclipse — the Bumble bee —

  Nay — Nature is Heaven —

  Nature is what we hear —

  The Bobolink — the Sea —

  Thunder — the Cricket —

  Nay — Nature is Harmony —

  Nature is what we know —

  Yet have no art to say —

  So impotent Our Wisdom is

  To her Simplicity.

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Heaven has different Signs — to me

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  575

  “Heaven” has different Signs — to me —

  Sometimes, I think that Noon

  Is but a symbol of the Place —

  And when again, at Dawn,

  A mighty look runs round the World

  And settles in the Hills —

  An Awe if it should be like that

  Upon the Ignorance steals —

  The Orchard, when the Sun is on —

  The Triumph of the Birds

  When they together Victory make —

  Some Carnivals of Clouds —

  The Rapture of a finished Day —

  Returning to the West —

  All these — remind us of the place

  That Men call “paradise” —

  Itself be fairer — we suppose —

  But how Ourself, shall be

  Adorned, for a Superior Grace —

  Not yet, our eyes can see —

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  A Coffin — is a Small Domain

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  A Coffin — is a small Domain,

  Yet able to contain

  A Citizen of Paradise

  In it diminished Plane.

  A Grave — is a restricted Breadth —

  Yet ampler than the Sun —

  And all the Seas He populates

  And Lands He looks upon

  To Him who on its small Repose

  Bestows a single Friend —

  Circumference without Relief —

  Or Estimate — or End —

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Because I could not stop for Death (712)

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  Because I could not stop for Death —

  He kindly stopped for me —

  The Carriage held but just Ourselves —

  And Immortality.

  We slowly drove — He knew no haste

  And I had put away

  My labor and my leisure too,

  For His Civility —

  We passed the School, where Children strove

  At Recess — in the Ring —

  We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain —

  We passed the Setting Sun —

  Or rather — He passed us —

  The Dews drew quivering and chill —

  For only Gossamer, my Gown —

  My Tippet — only Tulle —

  We paused before a House that seemed

  A Swelling of the Ground —

  The Roof was scarcely visible —

  The Cornice — in the Ground —

  Since then— ’tis Centuries — and yet

  Feels shorter than the Day

  I first surmised the Horses’ Heads

  Were toward Eternity —

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  When One has given up One’s life

  Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

  853

  When One has given up One’s life

  The parting with the rest

  Feels easy, as when Day lets go

  Entirely the West

  The Peaks, that lingered last

  Remain in Her regret

  As scarcely as the Iodine

  Upon the Cataract.

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Edward, Earl of Lytton

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  The Last Wish

  Edward, Earl of Lytton (1831–1892)

  SINCE all that I can ever do for thee

  Is to do nothing, this my prayer must be:

  That thou mayst never guess nor ever see

  The all-endured this nothing-done costs me.

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Arthur Hugh Clough

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth

  Arthur Hugh Clough (1819–1861)

  SAY not the struggle naught availeth,

  The labour and the wounds are vain,

  The enemy faints not, nor faileth,

  And as things have been they remain.

  If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars; 5

  It may be, in yon smoke conceal’d,

  Your comrades chase e’en now the fliers,

  And, but for you, possess the field.

  For while the tired waves, vainly breaking,

  Seem here no painful inch to gain, 10

  Far back, through creeks and inlets making,

  Comes silent, flooding in, the main.

  And not by eastern windows only,

  When daylight comes, comes in the light;

  In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly! 15

  But westward, look, the land is bright!

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  The Stream of Life

  Arthur Hugh Clough (1819–1861)

  O STREAM descending to the sea,

  Thy mossy banks between,

  The flowerets blow, the grasses grow,

  The leafy trees are green.

  In garden plots the children play, 5

  The fields the labourers till,

  And houses stand on either hand,

  And thou descendest still.

  O life descending into death,

  Our walking eyes behold, 10

  Parent and friend thy lapse attend,

  Companions young and old.

  Strong purposes our minds possess,

  Our hearts affections fill,

  We toil and earn, we seek and learn, 15

  And thou descendest still.

  O end to which our currents tend,

  Inevitable sea,

  To
which we flow, what do we know,

  What shall we guess of thee? 20

  A roar we hear upon thy shore,

  As we our course fulfil;

  Scarce we divine a sun will shine

  And be above us still.

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order