Short Poems

And O and O,
The daisies blow,
And the primroses are wakened;
And the violets white
Sit in silver light,
And in the green buds are long in the spike end.

Though our thoughts often, we ourselves
are seldom together.
We have told each other
all that has happened; it seems to me —
for want of a better word — that we are both unlucky.
Even our meetings have been so brief
we should call them partings, and of our words
I remember most " good-by " .

How difficult for me is Hebrew:
even the Hebrew for mother , for bread , for sun
is foreign. How far have I been exiled, Zion.

In the shop, she, her mother, and grandmother,
thinking at times of women at windows in still streets,
or women reading, a glow on resting hands.

The shopgirls leave their work
quietly.

Machines are still, tables and chairs
darken.

The silent rounds of mice and roaches begin.

On Brooklyn Bridge I saw a man drop dead.
It meant no more than if he were a sparrow.

Above us rose Manhattan;
below, the river spread to meet sea and sky.

Ancient Pistol, peacock Payne,
Brute in manner, rogue in grain,
How you squeezed me, peacock Payne!
Scared was I and out I ran
And found by Paul's an honest man.
Peace be with you, peacock Payne,
I have left you, you remain
Ancient Pistol, sealskin Payne.

Among the greatest plagues, one is the third day ague;
But cross and scolding wives the greatest evil are;
With strong and pray'rful minds the first will cease to plague you,
But for the last I know not what advice to dare;
Except with patience all to suffer,
And ne'er the first assault to proffer.

American jump, American jump,
One--two--three.
Under the water, under the sea,
Catching fishes for my tea,
--Dead,
Or, Alive,
Or, Round the world?

Prometheus, pitying men,
Dared the long wrath of gods,
Thongs and the vulture —
To bring to earth
The fire,
Before which I drowse,
In utter well-being.