MANUSCRIPTS: There are two, both written early in 1863. That reproduced above (Bingham) was sent to Samuel Bowles with ED's notation on the rear:

"I couldn't let Austin's note go - without a word - Emily."

The Zeroes taught Us - Phosphorus -
We learned to like the Fire
By playing Glaciers - when a Boy -
And Tinder - guessed - by power

Of Opposite - to equal Ought -
Eclipses - Suns - imply -
Paralysis - our Primer dumb
Unto Vitality -

7. dumb] numb -

PUBLICATION: Letters (ed. 1894), 200; and LL (1924), 227, follow the text of the note to Bowles, arranged as two quatrains. A footnote gives the reading of line 6 in the packet copy. The footnote, slightly altered, is retained in Letters (ed. 1931), 191, but the stanza division is not retained. The packet copy furnishes the text in FP (1929), 201. It is without stanza division and the suggested change is adopted. The misreading "sums" (line 6) was later corrected to "suns."