If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking

 

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

 

-- Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), American poet

A Light Exists in Spring

A Light exists in Spring 
Not present on the Year 
At any other period -- 
When March is scarcely here 

A Color stands abroad 
On Solitary Fields 
That Science cannot overtake 
But Human Nature feels. 

It waits upon the Lawn, 
It shows the furthest Tree 
Upon the furthest Slope you know 
It almost speaks to you. 

Then as Horizons step 
Or Noons report away 
Without the Formula of sound 
It passes and we stay -- 

A quality of loss
Affecting our Content 
As Trade had suddenly encroached 
Upon a Sacrament.

--Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) American poet and mystic

The Props assist the House

Until the House is built
And then the Props withdraw
And adequate, erect,
The House support itself
And cease to recollect
The Auger and the Carpenter—
Just such a retrospect
Hath the perfected Life—
A past of Plank and Nail
And slowness—then the Scaffolds drop
Affirming it a Soul.

--Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), American poet, written ca. 1863

Image: Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, 1936, in Stewart Township, PA.

There is No Frigate Like a Book (1263)

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.

--Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), American poet

Hope Is the Thing With Feathers (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.

-- Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), American poet

My Faith is larger than the Hills

My Faith is larger than the Hills—
So when the Hills decay—
My Faith must take the Purple Wheel
To show the Sun the way—

 'Tis first He steps upon the Vane—
And then—upon the Hill—
And then abroad the World He go
To do His Golden Will—

And if His Yellow feet should miss—
The Bird would not arise—
The Flowers would slumber on their Stems—
No Bells have Paradise—

How dare I, therefore, stint a faith
On which so vast depends—
Lest Firmament should fail for me—
The Rivet in the Bands

-- Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), (Poem 766)

Some keep the Sabbath by going to Church (236)

Some keep the Sabbath going to Church --
I keep it, staying at Home --
With a Bobolink for a Chorister --
And an Orchard, for a Dome --

Some keep the Sabbath in Surplice --
I just wear my Wings --
And instead of tolling the Bell, for Church,
Our little Sexton -- sings.

God preaches, a noted Clergyman --
And the sermon is never long,
So instead of getting to Heaven, at least --
I'm going, all along.

--Emily Dickinson