MANUSCRIPTS: There are three. The copy to T. W. Higginson (BPL Higg 8), reproduced above, was enclosed in the second letter ED wrote him (BPL Higg 51), postmarked 25 April 1862. A second fair copy (H 301), signed "Emily- ," was sent to Sue about the same time:

Of all the Sounds despatched abroad
There's not a Charge to me
Like that old measure in the Boughs-
That Phraseless Melody-
The Wind does- working like a Hand -
Whose fingers Comb the Sky-
Then quiver down, with tufts of tune-
Permitted Gods-and me-

lnheritance it is to Us
Beyond the Art to Earn-
Beyond the trait to take away
By Robber - since the Gain
Is gotten not of fingers-
And inner than the Bone
Hid golden, for the Whole of days-
And even in the Urn-
I cannot vouch the merry Dust
Do not arise and play,
In some odd Pattern of it's own-
Some quainter Holiday-
When Winds go round and round in Bands-
And thrum upon the Door-
And Birds take places- overhead -
To bear them Orchestra-

I crave Him Grace of Summer Boughs-
lf such an Outcast be-
Who never heard that Fleshless Chant-
Rise soiemn on the Tree-
As if some Caravan of Sound-
Off Deserts in the Sky-
Had parted Rank-
Then knit and swept
In Seamless Company-

19. fashion] Pattern

The copy in packet 14 (H 77a) from which the fair copies derive is a semifinal draft, written at the same time:

Of all the Sounds despatched abroad-
There's not a Charge to me
Like that old measure in the Boughs
That phraseless Melody-
The Wind does-working like a Hand
Whose fingers brush the sky-
Then quiver down - with Tufts of Tune -
Permitted Men - and Me -

Inheritance it is- to Us-
Beyond the Art to Earn-
Beyond the trait to take away-
By Robber - Since the Gain
Is gotten, not with fingers,
And inner than the Bone-
Hid golden-for the whole of Days-
And even in the Urn-
I cannot vouch the merry Dust
Do not arise and play-
In some odd fashion of it's own-
Some quainter Holiday.

When Winds go round and round, in Bands-
And thrum upon the Door-
And Birds take places - Overhead -
To bear them Orchestra-

I crave him grace-of Summer Boughs-
If such an Outcast be-
He never heard that fleshless Chant
Rise solemn, in the Tree-
As if some Caravan of Sound
On Deserts, in the Sky
Had broken Rank-
Then knit - and passed -
In Seamless Company-

All three suggested changes are underlined and are adopted in the fair copies. The fair copies both show the following variants:

13. with] of
27. He] Who
28. in] on
30. On] Off
31. broken] parted

PUBLICATION: This is one of fourteen poems selected for publication in an article contributed by T. W. Higginson to the Christian Union, XLII (25 September 1890), 393, titled "The Wind." It is here printed in part only. The text, which is a composite of the copy to Higginson and the packet copy, is arranged as two eight-line stanzas. It omits lines 9-24. From the packet copy it adopts only the suggested change for line 8, and selects the following words which have variants in his copy:

28. in
30. On
31. broken

From his copy it selects one variant:

27. Who

It alters one word:

5. does] makes

The packet copy furnished the text for Poems (1890), 96-97, titled "The Wind." The text is arranged as a series of four quatrains with a concluding five-line stanza. It omits lines 9-20, and adopts only the suggested change for line 8. No words are altered. Its next printing in CP (1924) reproduces the text of Poems (1890). A major change occurs in the Centenary edition (1930) and subsequent collections. Here the copy to Sue furnishes the text, with wording exactly rendered. The twelve lines missing in the previous collections are incorporated as stanzas 3, 4, and 5, with this note (page 105):

This poem, published on page 122 of the Complete Poems, appears now with the three missing stanzas restored as in the original manuscript sent to Susan Gilbert Dickinson, and also as written to Colonel Higginson.