Springfield Daily Republican (1862)

The Sleeping.

Safe in their alabaster chambers,
Untouched by morning.
  And untouched by noon,
Sleep the meek members of the Resurrection,
  Rafter of satin, and roof of stone.

Light laughs the breeze
In her castle above them,
  Babbles the bee in a stolid ear,
Pipe the sweet birds in ignorant cadences:
  Ah! what sagacity perished here!

Pelham Hill, June, 1861.

H B94

Never mind Emily - to-morrow
will do just as well - Don't bother -
I'm "not an hard master" - You
know Maggie is out, and I don't like
to leave my fold - There were two or
three little things I wanted to talk
with you about without witnesses
but to-morrow will do just as
well - Has girl read Republican?
It takes as long to start our
Fleet as the Burnside.

Emily -
All's well -

H B74a

Safe in their Alabaster Chambers,
Untouched by Morning -
And untouched by Noon -
Lie the meek members of
the Resurrection -
Rafter of Satin - and Roof of
Stone -

Grand go the Years - in the
Crescent - above them -
Worlds scoop their Arcs -
And Firmaments - row -
Diadems - drop - and Doges -
Surrender -
Soundless as dots - on a
Disc of Snow -

Perhaps this verse would
please you better - Sue -

     Emily '

H B74b

     I am not suited
dear Emily with the second
verse - It is remarkable as the
chain lightening that blinds us
hot nights in the Southern sky
but it does not go with the
ghostly shimmer of the first verse
as well as the other one - It just
occurs to me that the first verse
is complete in itself it needs
no other, and can't be coupled -
Strange things always go alone - as
there is only one Gabriel and one
Sun - You never made a peer
for that verse, and I guess you[r]
kingdom does'nt hold one -
always go to the fire and get warm
after thinking of it, but I never
can again -      The flowers are sweet
and bright and look as if they
would kiss one - ah, they expect
a humming-bird - Thanks for
them of course - and not thanks
only recognition either - Did it
ever occur to you that is all there
is here after all - "Lord that I
may receive my sight"____
     Susan is tired making bibs for
her bird - her ring-dove - he will
paint my cheeks when I am old
to pay me -
     Sue -

H B74c

     Is this frostier?

Springs - shake the Sills -
But - the Echoes - stiffen -
Hoar - is the Window - and
numb - the Door -
Tribes of Eclipse - in Tents
of Marble -
Staples of Ages - have
buckled - there -

Dear Sue -
     Your praise is good -
to me - because I know
it knows - and suppose -
it means -
Could I make you and
Austin - proud - sometime - a
great way off - 'twould give
me taller feet -
Here is a crumb - for the
"Ring dove"- and a spray ,
for his Nest, a little while
ago - just - "Sue" -
     Emily '

H 11c

Safe in their Alabaster Chambers,
Untouched by Morning -
And untouched by Noon -
Sleep the Meek Members of the Resurrection -
Rafter of Satin,
And Roof of Stone.

Light laughs the breeze
In her Castle above them -
Babbles the Bee in a stolid Ear,
Pipe the Sweet Birds in ignorant cadence -
Ah , what sagacity perished here!
   _________________________

H 203c&d

Safe in their Alabaster
Chambers -
Untouched by Morning -
And untouched by Noon -
Lie the meek members of
the Resurrection -
Rafter of Satin - and Roof
of Stone !

Grand go the Years - in the
Crescent - above them -
Worlds scoop their Arcs -
And Firmaments - row -
Diadems - drop - and Doges -
Surrender -
Soundless as dots - on a
Disc of Snow -
   ______________________

Springs - shake the sills -
But - the Echoes - stiffen -
Hoar - is the window -
And - numb - the door -
Tribes - of Eclipse - in Tents -
of Marble -
Staples - of Ages - have
buckled - there -
   ______________________

Springs - shake the Seals -
But the silence - stiffens -
Frosts unhook - in the
Northern Zones -
Icicles - crawl from polar
Caverns -
Midnight in Marble -
Refutes - the Suns -
   ______________________