Nineteenth-Century American Poetry

William C. Spengemann is the Hale Professor in Arts and Sciences and Professor of English Emeritus at Dartmouth College. He edited the Penguin Classics edition of Nineteenth-Century American Poetry.

• INTRODUCTIONSUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READINGA NOTE ON THE TEXTSJOEL BARLOW (1754–1812)from The Columbiad: Book the EighthWILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT (1794–1978)ThanatopsisTo a WaterfowlMutationHymn to the North StarTo a MosquitoA Meditation on Rhode Island CoalThe PrairiesThe Crowded StreetNot YetThe PoetThe Death of LincolnRALPH WALDO EMERSON (1803–1882)Each and AllThe Humble-BeeThe Snow-StormGraceBlightMotto to "The Poet"The World-SoulMithridatesHamatreyaOde, Inscribed to W.H. ChanningMerlin IMotto to "Nature"DaysThe Chartist's ComplaintTwo RiversMotto to "Illusions"TerminusHENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW (1807–1882)Mezzo CamminThe WarningThe Day Is DoneDanteSand of the Desert in an Hour-GlassThe Fire of Drift-WoodThe Jewish Cemetery at NewportThe RopewalkThe Golden Mile-Stonefrom Hiawatha: The White Man's FootSnow-FlakesThe Legend of Rabbi Ben LeviThe Rhyme of Sir ChristopherJOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER (1807–1892)The Cities of the PlainThe FarewellOfficial PietyThe HaschishSkipper Ireson's RideThe Palm-TreeBrown of OssawatomieA Word for the HourBarbara Frietchiefrom Tent on the Beach: [The Dreamer]OverruledEDGAR ALLAN POE (1809–1849)DreamsSonnet: To ScienceRomanceA Dream within a DreamThe City in the SeaTo One in ParadiseSilenceThe SleeperThe Conqueror WormDreamlandStanzasThe RavenA ValentineUlalumeAnnabel LeeEldoradoOLIVER WENDELL HOLMES (1809–1894)Old IronsidesOur LimitationsLatter-Day WarningsThe Chambered NautilusIris, Her BookPrologueTartarusJONES VERY (1813–1880)The New BirthThe SonThe WordThe SpiritThe SerpentThe RobeThe Winter RainThe CrossThe MountainThe PromiseThe Birds of PassageThe SilentThe Indian's RetortSlaveryThe First Atlantic TelegraphThe Slowness of Belief in a Spiritual WorldForevermoreHENRY DAVID THOREAU (1817–1862)Sic VitaBrother Where Dost Thou DwellOn Ponkawtasset, Since, We Took Our WayLow-Anchored CloudWoof of the Sun, Ethereal GauzeMy Life Has Been the Poem I Would Have WritInspirationFor Though the Eaves Were RabbetedPray to What Earth Does This Sweet Cold BelongA Winter and Spring SceneJAMES RUSSELL LOWELL (1819–1891)A Contrastfrom A Fable for Criticsfrom The Biglow Papers: The Pious Editor's CreedThe Darkened MindSonnet: On Being Asked for an Autograph in VeniceThe BossIn a Copy of Omar KhayyamScience and PoetryWALT WHITMAN (1819–1892)Song of MyselfCrossing Brooklyn FerryOut of the Cradle Endlessly RockingI Saw in Louisiana a Live-Oak GrowingCavalry Crossing a FordBeat! Beat! Drums!As I Lay with My Head in Your Lap CameradoYears of the ModernWhen Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'dA Noiseless Patient SpiderPassage to IndiaPrayer of ColumbusTo a Locomotive in WinterHERMAN MELVILLE (1819–1891)Immolatedfrom Battle-PiecesThe PortentMisgivingsThe March into VirginiaThe TemeraireA Utilitarian View of the Monitor's FightStonewall Jackson: Mortally Wounded at ChancellorsvilleStonewall Jackson: Ascribed to a VirginianThe House-TopThe College ColonelThe MartyrThe ApparitionIrisfrom Clarelfrom Part I, canto xiii: The ArchPart II, canto vii: Guide and Guardfrom Part II, canto xxiii: By the Jordanfrom Part III, canto xx: Afterwardfrom Part III, canto xxix: Rolfe and the Palmfrom Part IV, canto iii: The IslandPart IV, canto xxxi: DirgePart IV, canto xxxiv: Via CrucisPart IV, canto xxxv: Epiloguefrom John Marr and Other SailorsTom DeadlightThe Aeolian HarpThe Maldive SharkThe BergThe Enviable IslesPebblesfrom TimoleonAfter the Pleasure PartyThe Night-MarchArtHerba SantaIn a Bye-CanalThe Attic LandscapeThe ParthenonIn the Desertfrom Weeds and Wildings, Chiefly; with a Rose or TwoThe Little Good FellowsThe ChipmunkTime's BetrayalRosary BeadsMiscellaneous PoemsThe Rusty ManCamoensFruit and Flower PainterIn Shards the Sylvan Vases LieTo ––PontoosuceBilly in the DarbiesFREDERICK GODDARD TUCKERMAN (1821–1873)Sonnets: First SeriesInfatuationRhotrudaAs Sometimes in a GroveCoralieThe CricketEMILY DICKINSON (1830–1886)49. I never lost as much but twice95. My nosegays are for Captivies––77. I never hear the word "escape"89. Some things that fly there be––135. Water, is taught by thirst185. "Faith" is a fine invention211. Come slowly––Eden!213. Did the Harebell loose her girdle243. I've known a Heaven, like a Tent–249. Wild Nights––Wild Nights!257. Delight is as the flight––258. There's a certain Slant of light281. 'Tis so appalling––it exhilarates––290. Of Bronze––and Blaze––301. I reason, Earth is short––307. The One who could repeat the Summer day––315. He fumbles at your Soul326. I cannot dance upon my Toes––328. A Bird came down the Walk––338. I know that He exists357. God is a distant––stately Lover––410. The first Day's Night had come––414. 'Twas like a Maelstrom, with a notch435. Much Madness is divinest Sense––448. This was a Poet––It is That501. This World is not Conclusion502. At least––to pray––is left––is left––506. He touched me, so I live to know519. 'Twas warm––at first––like Us––547. I've seen a Dying Eye556. The Brain, within its Groove577. If I may have it, when it's dead599. There is a pain––so utter––606. The Trees like Tassels––hit––and swung–612. It would have starved a Gnat––613. They shut me up in Prose––622. To know just how He suffered––would be dear––629. I watched the Moon around the House632. The Brain––is wider than the Sky––640. I cannot live with You––652. A Prison gets to be a friend––656. The Name––of it––is "Autumn"––657. I dwell in Possibility––670. One need not be a Chamber––to be Haunted––754. My Life had stood––a Loaded Gun––1053. It was a quiet way––1712. A Pit––but Heaven over it––525. I think the Hemlock likes to stand665. Dropped into the Ether Acre––709. Publication––is the Auction771. None can experience stint812. A Light exists in Spring824. The Wind begun to rock the Grass854. Banish Air from Air––915. Faith––is the Pierless Bridge925. Struck, was I, not yet by Lightning––949. Under the Light, yet under959. A loss of something ever felt I––997. Crumbling is not an instant's Act1056. There is a Zone whose even Years1090. I am afraid to own a Body––1128. These are the Nights that Beetles love––1173. The Lightning is a yellow Fork1235. Like Rain it sounded till it curved1247. To pile like Thunder to its close1311. This dirty––little––Heart1331. Wonder––is not precisely Knowing1575. The Bat is dun, with wrinkled Wings––1400. What mystery pervades a well!1433. How brittle are the Piers1445. Death is the supple Suitor1527. Oh give it Motion––deck it sweet1542. Come show thy Durham Breast1551. Those––dying then1670. In Winter in my Room1718. Drowning is not so pitiful1751. There comes an hour when begging stopsSARAH MORGAN BRYAN PIATT (1836–1919)The Palace-BurnerA DoubtThis WorldIn Her PrisonAnswering a ChildNo HelpIn a Queen's DomainIf I Had Made the WorldStone for a StatueArmy of OccupationA Lesson in a PictureA Pique at PartingHer Word of ReproachSad Spring-SongSIDNEY LANIER (1842–1881)Song for "The Jacquerie"NirvanaTo BeethovenTo Richard WagnerThe Revenge of HamishTo Bayard TaylorEDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON (1869–1935)Walt WhitmanJohn EvereldownLuke HavergalThree QuatrainsThe House on the HillAaron StarkSonnetVerlaineRichard CoryCliff KlingenhagenReuben BrightThe TavernOctaves XV, XIX, XXEXPLANATORY NOTES